KL Magazine November 2016

ISSN 2044–7965

ISSUE 74 NOVEMBER 2016 PRICELESS

magazine

WEST NORFOLK | NORTH NORFOLK | COASTAL

COVER IMAGE Cromer Lifeboat by Ian Ward

meet the team MANAGING DIRECTOR Laura Murray MANAGING EDITOR Eric Secker DESIGN TEAM Amy Phillips Lisa Tonroe PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Ward SALES AND PROMOTION Daniel Thomas Nicola Back CONTRIBUTORS Clare Bee Kia Everitt Richard Parr Paul Richards Sylvia Steele

contact 18 Tuesday Market Place King’s Lynn PE30 1JW 01553 601201 info@klmagazine.co.uk KL magazine is published monthly by KL Publications Ltd. The magazine cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs.

While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and KL magazine takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

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t hardly seems possible that the festive season is fast approaching, but while its imminent arrival may have taken many of us by surprise (Advent actually starts on the 27th of this month) for some people it’s the time when months of hard work and preparation finally come to fruition. For the team at Ely Cathedral – which will hold no less than 132 services in December – Christmas is a very special time of the year on both the spiritual and secular fronts, and you can read more about their remarkable efforts and their exciting plans for Christmas on page 8 of this month’s magazine.

Similarly, for Robert Garner of Godwick Turkeys (see page 44) the festive season is hugely important – but it’s only the final stages of a year-long family-run effort that has animal welfare at its heart. And if you’re interested in discovering just how tasty a responsible approach to producing and sourcing food can be, don’t miss our feature on the Norfolkbased Big Prawn Co on page 70 – the local company that's taking seafood to new heights.

You can’t talk about reaching new heights without mentioning Marham’s Lee Bigland (see page 30). In many ways, he’s a typical young man. He loves music, and he plays bass guitar in a number of local bands. He also loves playing rugby for Swaffham RUFC, and he also does the odd spot of cycling when he can. But above all, he loves raising money for those less fortunate than himself, and a few months ago – without any previous climbing experience – he managed to scale the world’s highest freestanding mountain, raising around £4,000 for West Norfolk MIND in the process.

Lee’s an inspirational example to all of us, and a timely reminder that the festive season we're about to enter is all about giving.

This month’s magazine is full of interesting people and places, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. See you again next month!

KL MAGAZINE

KLmagazine November 2016

Contents

NOVEMBER 2016

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18 44 KLmagazine November 2016

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6-13 WHAT’S ON This month’s diary of forthcoming events

60-69 FASHION Inspirational ideas from our local boutiques

8-10 CHRISTMAS AT ELY CATHEDRAL Getting ready for the festive season

70-72 THE BIG PRAWN CO. Taking seafood to exciting new heights

16 CORN EXCHANGE What’s on stage over the coming months...

74-83 FOOD AND DRINK Reviews, recipes and recommendations

18-20 THROUGH THE ROOMS OF HISTORY A look inside King’s Lynn Town Hall

80 RESTAURANT REVIEW Heacham Manor Hotel’s Mulberry Restaurant

24-26 CROMER LIFEBOAT Celebrating Norfolk’s lifesaving tradition

86-88 COWA...

The changing local face of higher education

30-32 LEE’S BIG ADVENTURE...

From Marham to the top of the world

90-92 KEEPING THE PAST FOR THE FUTURE The work of the Norfolk Archaeology Trust

38-40 SAVING OUR SEALS...

Caring for our best-loved winter visitors

94 LOOK TO THE SKIES...

A look inside a remarkable local museum

42 THEN & NOW The changing face of West Norfolk

102-104 WALKING THROUGH HISTORY A review of Paul Richards’ new book

43 YOU AND YOUR PETS With local vet Alex Dallas

106-108 IT’S ALL IN THE DETAIL...

The Pointillist work of artist Graham Lamb

44-46 GODWICK TURKEYS A taste of Christmas with Robert Garner

110-113 A LIFE IN IMAGES The story of photographer Jo Halpin Jones

54-56 WONDERS IN WOOD On the Sandringham Sculpture Trail

114 MICHAEL MIDDLETON Was Harold Davidson a saint or sinner?

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NOVEMBER BOX OFFICE: (01603) 63 00 00

Tues 22 – Sat 26 Nov GLYNDEBOURNE Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly – world class opera £7 - £54

Mon 7 – Sat 12 Nov A ROOM WITH A VIEW Felicity Kendal stars in elegant period comedy £8 - £28.50

Mon 28 Nov – Sat 3 Dec THE COMMITMENTS Feel-good, soul-celebrating musical smash £8 - £44

Sun 13 Nov SIR ROGER MOORE Inside stories from James Bond star £8 - £25

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Sun 20 Nov PAM AYRES Popular poetry £7 - £23

Mon 31 Oct – Sat 5 Nov CHICAGO John Partridge, Hayley Tamaddon, Jessie Wallace star in razzle dazzle musical £8 - £42.50

Mon 14 – Sat 19 Nov BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S Georgia May Foote stars in sparkling drama £8 - £32.50

Book online: www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk T H E AT RE ST RE E T, NO RW ICH NR2 1RL

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Beginning Wednesday 9th WINTER WORKSHOPS & EVENTS AT FRAMIN’ART Framin’Art, 35 High St, Downham Market PE38 9HF In the Gallery: Available now, a varied range of high quality limited edition prints in bespoke, hand-finished frames. In December there will be original pyrography by Yvonne Visée and fused glasswork by Linda and John Truscott. In the Framin’ Art classroom there will be a variety of fantastic classes on offer such as; Watercolour for Beginners – a regular weekly group running on Mondays from 1pm3pm. Painting with Acrylics – a six week course for beginners 10am – 12pm Wednesdays starting 9th November. Life Drawing – a five week course running on Sundays from 1pm-3pm starting on 13th November. Mosaic Making – a one day workshop on Saturday 26th November from 9.30am – 1pm. Wet Felting – one day workshop on Saturday 3rd December from 10am – 1pm. Christmas Wreath Making – one day workshop on Sunday 11th December from 10am – 1pm. For further information about any of the classes please call 01366 382002 or email enquiries@framinart.co.uk.

Thursday 3rd CINDY’S NEW COLLECTION CELEBRATION Cindy's, 108 Bridge Road, Sutton Bridge PE12 9SA (10am-5pm) Join Cindy and her team to celebrate the latest Frank Lyman Design Autumn/Winter 2016 collection. Meet the stylist from Frank Lyman and get the latest style tips and advice on how to wear the latest trends. There will be a Fashion Quiz at 12.30, goody bags will be on offer and much more! Please contact Cindy’s on 01406 350961 for more information on the event.

Sunday 27th

Sunday 20th

CHRISTMAS FAIR IN AID OF THE NORFOLK HOSPICE TAPPING HOUSE The Great Barn, Manor Mews, Manor Farm, Tattersett PE31 8RS (1pm-4pm) The fantastic charity The Norfolk Hospice will be holding a Christmas fair to help raise money for the great work they do, providing care, comfort and compassion to those in our community nearing the end of their lives and to their families and friends. There will be craft stalls, refreshments, a raffle, kids activities and Santa and his Reindeer will be there too! For more information about the charity please visit the website www.norfolkhospice.org.uk or phone the hospice on 01485 601700.

KLmagazine November 2016

NORFOLK SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - THE MUSIC OF WAR Corn Exchange, King’s Lynn, Tuesday Market Place (3:30pm) Enjoy the stunning sounds of the Norfolk Symphony Orchestra as they present ‘The music of War’, a concert in remembrance of those who died at the Battle of the Somme. George Butterworth's beautiful Shropshire Lad Rhapsody written a few years before his death at the battle of the Somme, is followed by Ravel’s piano concerto for the left hand, commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein, an Austrian concert pianist who lost an arm in the 1st World War. This savage work is played by the renowned one-handed pianist, Nicholas McCarthy.

Finally, Nielsen’s titanic 4th symphony, the “Inextinguishable”, which was composed against the backdrop of the 1st World War. This symphony is among the most dramatic that Nielsen wrote, featuring a "battle" between the orchestra and two sets of timpani. Written between 1912 and 1916 the symphony expresses "the elemental will to live" and is a very suitable close to this emotional concert.

Programme is as follows; Butterworth - A Shropshire Lad Rhapsody, Ravel - Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, Nielsen - Symphony No.4 - The Inextinguishable. For tickets please call the box office on 01553 764864 or visit the website www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk.

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Coming soon...

Friday 2nd - Sunday 4th December

DEEPDALE CHRISTMAS MARKET Dalegate Market and St Mary’s Church, Burnham Deepdale (12noon to 7pm on Fri 2nd and 10am-4pm on Sat & Sun) The 8th annual Deepdale Christmas Market takes place over the first weekend in December in the ever lovely village Burnham Deepdale.

Visitors to the market can enjoy ‘Not on the high street’ presents, decorations, food and drink in three large marquees around the Dalegate Market site, and amongst the pews in St Mary’s Church.

There can’t be a better reason to visit the North Norfolk Coast in the Winter, when over one hundred local artisans and producers gather for one of East Anglia’s best seasonal markets. This year there will be lots more food! Deepdale Cafe, pizzas, pies, crepes, duck wraps, mulled wine, hot chocolate, burgers, real ales, sloe gin, Christmas punch, brownies ... You definitely won’t go hungry or thirsty, plenty of places to refuel to continue with the Christmas shopping. As always, entrance is FREE to the event, so no emptying your pockets before the shopping begins. And as usual, there is FREE car parking in the farm yard of Deepdale Farm and in a grass field on Dalegate Lane. The Coasthopper bus also drops off right outside the door.

For more details on the event please visit the website www.deepdalechristmasmarket.co.uk.

Thursday 1st - Monday 5th December

CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL St Faith's Church, Gayton Road, King's Lynn PE30 4DZ Some of the brightest stars in West Norfolk will be shining on tree tops in St Faith's Church at Gaywood when a Christmas Tree Festival is staged in the centuries-old building. The Festival will be officially opened by Anthony Isaacs (of BBC Radio Norfolk) on Thursday 1st at 7pm and immediately following there will be a festive season variety concert featuring local singers, dancers, readers and musicians. A warm welcome is extended to everyone to come along to the Festival and enjoy looking at around 30 beautifully decorated Christmas Trees and to enjoy the other events being held as part of the Festival over the next few days. The Christmas Trees will be decorated in an imaginative way by pupils from Gaywood schools, representatives of church organisations and charity groups as well as by individuals. Anyone wanting more information about the Festival can contact St Faith's church office on 01553 774916 (between 9am and 12 noon Monday to Friday).

KLmagazine November 2016

Throughout December CHRISTMAS EVENTS AT TRUES YARD True’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum, King’s Lynn PE30 1QW Saturday 3rd - Children’s Christmas Activity Day with St Nicholas Chapel. Christmas in the North End- Exhibition throughout December. Saturday 10th - Traditional Christmas Crafts, make this year’s Christmas extra special by handcrafting your gifts and cards.

Wednesday 7th - Dickensian Guided Walk, learn all about Lynn’s very own Scrooges’ and Oliver Twists’. Thursday 8th - Christmas Carol Concert at St Nicholas Chapel. Thursday 22nd - Christmas Quiz, get into the spirit and win a prize! For more information about all of the events please contact the museum on 01553 770479 or visit the website www.truesyard.co.uk.

Saturday 17th December

FAKENHAM CHORAL SOCIETY - MUSIC FOR CHRISTMAS Fakenham Parish Church, Oak Street NR21 9BX (7.30pm) Fakenham Choral Society welcomes you to start Christmas week with them in Fakenham Parish Church for a concert full of much loved music. The choir, conducted by the choir’s musical director Janet Kelsey and accompanied by Jim Laird, will sing, in the first half, Mozart’s Coronation Mass with soloists Posy Walton, soprano; Freya Jacklin, alto; Sheridan Edward, tenor and Christopher Jacklin, bass.

The second half of the concert will also include the modern classic O Magnum Mysterium by Morton Lauridsen together with a selection of festive carols, both well known and less familiar. As always there will be plenty of opportunity for the audience to join in with their favourite carols. As the Christmas concert is always a very popular event it is suggested that if possible you purchase tickets in advance.

Seating is not allocated so come early to make sure of your seat.

During the interval drinks will be available to buy, and there will be free mince pies included in the ticket price! Tickets are £12 (under18s free) and are available from 01485 544335 or on the door.

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PICTURES: TIMOTHY SELVAGE (this page) / GEOFF PUGH (Christmas tree)

What’s On

ABOVE: Choristers from King’s School, Ely prepare for a season of song and celebration at Ely Cathedral. The Cathedral’s magnificent tree (opposite) takes Claire Shropshire (and her single helper) a week to decorate with almost 1,000 handpicked decorations

Ely Cathedral gets ready to celebrate Christmas...

Almost a year in the planning, the festive season arrives at Ely Cathedral this month with the annual Gift & Food Fair, the arrival of a 30ft Christmas tree, and the ever popular Advent Procession

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or over 1,000 years people have flocked to Ely Cathedral at this very special time of the year to worship and celebrate with friends and families, but for the team at the Cathedral, planning starts very early on in the year with meetings to diary the numerous services, concerts and other activities taking place throughout Advent and the festive season.

By the time November comes around, the staff, volunteers and clergy are all poised and ready to envelop the magnificent building in a cloak of seasonal worship and music, festive spirit and above all, welcome.

Ely certainly knows how to pack a punch when it comes to Christmas. It’s hard to imagine that during the month

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of December this rural Cathedral will hold 132 services, welcome over 5,000 visitors, inspire 9,000 worshippers, entertain 4,500 concertgoers and serve over 8,900 customers across retail enterprises such as The Almonry Restaurant, the Refectory Café and the two shops located in the Cathedral and on Ely’s High Street.

Christmas at Ely really kicks off with the Ely Cathedral Gift & Food Fair on the weekend of 18th-19th November.

Now in its fifth successive year, this incredible event is already proving to be one of East Anglia’s most popular Christmas shopping experiences, hosting over 150 stalls selling beautiful and affordable gifts and gourmet food all in the magnificent setting of the Cathedral’s Nave and Lady Chapel.

A highlight of the fair is the Festive Food Hall, which is a food lover’s haven with an emphasis on good quality, regional produce. The Food Hall hosts over 40 gourmet specialists including cheesemongers, chocolatiers, patisseries, delicatessens of specialist oils, vinegars and preserves, distillers of gin, vodka and cider, and butchers of locally-produced meat products and charcuterie.

For families with children, the Fair also boasts a rare vintage carousel to transport you into the magical world of a traditional fairground. Beautifully decorated with hand-painted carved woodwork, it’s a lovely attraction for all ages and always a great favourite with the Cathedral choristers. There are even a few reindeer and Christmas

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PICTURES: ELY CATHEDRAL

What’s On

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School, Ely – and every year the boys (aged 9 to 13) leave their families to return to their boarding house a few days before Christmas to begin rehearsals in preparation for one of the Cathedral’s many services and concerts.

During this time staff make sure there’s as much fun as work on their busy Christmas agenda in the form of special outings (this year it’s go-carting) and plenty of other treats. On Christmas day itself, the boys wake in their dormitory to a bulging Christmas stocking and a special breakfast with Matron before heading off for the traditional Christmas morning carol singing outside the houses of the Director of Music, Head of School and Canon Precentor.

Naturally, services at Ely are in abundance and virtually all of them are rather special. The Advent Procession on 27th November is one of the most moving and popular in the Cathedral calendar – where you can experience the Cathedral lit by candlelight with beautiful music sung by the choirs. If you have young children and have never been to a Christmas service at Ely Cathedral before, one of the two crib services (which take place on Christmas Eve) is an absolute must. This short family service includes a living nativity with special guest Daisy the donkey and plenty of well-known carols and music to put you in the Christmas spirit.

Children are encouraged to dress up, and it’s always good to spot Batman or Harry Potter amongst the many angels and fairies!

Ely is undoubtedly a very special place to visit at any time of year, but we can’t think of a much better way to get in the mood for Christmas than visiting this glorious building or attending one of its many events and services during the month of December.

Ely Cathedral is open 365 days a year from 7.00am. For more details and information on Christmas at the Cathedral, please visit the website at www.elycathedral.org

PICTURE: GEOFF PUGH

elves to add to the magic!

The centrepiece of the festive season at Ely has to be the magnificent tree, which stands over 30 feet high under the Cathedral’s world famous Octagon Tower. The tree is picked out in early spring ready to be delivered from the Elveden Estate near Thetford and is kindly sponsored by Norfolk farmers Peter and Claire Shropshire.

Astonishingly, it takes Claire (with one helper and a cherry picker) an entire week to adorn the tree with over 500 lights and almost 1,000 handpicked decorations. Over the years, the tree has become a major visitor attraction in its own right and is legendary across the region. For the first time, there’ll be an official ‘Switch On’ of the Christmas lights this year on Sunday December 4th, giving families the opportunity to see the tree in its full splendour.

Of course, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without music – and never more so at Ely, when since the days of King Canute (c.1000) music has played a key role in Cathedral life.

Over the years Ely choristers have worked with artists and orchestras of national repute; they’ve performed for the Pope and the Queen, shared a stage with Jose Carreras, Aled Jones and Laura Wight, and have been under the musical direction of talents such as John Rutter & Gareth Malone.

The 20 boy choristers and 17 girl choristers are all boarders at King’s

KLmagazine November 2016

VISIT SANTA

AND HIS MAGICAL GROTTO

OPENING TIMES Saturday 19th November*

10.30am-8pm

Sunday 20th November until Wednesday 14th December Monday to Friday Saturdays Sundays

10am–6pm 9am–6pm 10.30am–4.30pm

Thursday 15th December until Saturday 24th December Monday to Friday Saturdays Sundays Christmas Eve

10am–7pm 9am–6pm 10.30am–4.30pm 9am–5pm

Santa’s at North Square giving little shoppers an early Christmas gift. Visits are £5.00 per child, and for a little extra they can have a photo with him too.

Santa will be away for 45 minutes between 12pm and 2pm to feed his reindeer.

Sorry for any inconvenience. *Grotto will be closed from 4.30pm

queensgate-shopping.co.uk KLmagazine November 2016

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A luxurious Christmas from Norfolk Leisure...

Get set for a brighter Christmas and a warmer winter this year as Norfolk Leisure invites you to discover a luxurious range of artificial trees and exciting new products for your festive home lthough Christmas is only a few weeks away now, it’s fair to say it’s always the season to be jolly at Norfolk Leisure. In the year since the supplier of luxurious outdoor furniture and lifestyle products moved to its new centre at Setchey just outside King’s Lynn, Norfolk Leisure has seen some of the biggest changes in its whole 20-year history.

It’s introduced new products, it’s welcomed lots of new talent and expertise to the team, it’s picked up regional and national awards, and it’s attracted a host of major new customers from across the UK.

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The increased space (the entire site covers some seven acres) has also enabled Norfolk Leisure to create a showroom dedicated to showcasing the company’s new collections and products – which has now taken on a distinctly festive feel thanks to a range of artificial Christmas trees that are among the most luxurious and most realistic trees you’ll find anywhere.

And over the coming weeks, Norfolk Leisure’s showroom will be opening its doors to the public for the unmissable opportunity of choosing from a unique and handpicked range of one-off trees and specials (together with a fabulous

KLmagazine November 2016

selection of garlands, wreaths and decorative accessories) at amazingly low prices.

Ranging from small decorative trees to stunning centrepieces rising to almost 8ft tall, these fabulous Christmas trees include fauxbark centrepoles, can be pre-lit with up to 1,500 energy efficient and longlasting LED lights, and also feature ‘Feel Real’ technology – using crushresistant polyethylene to give the greenery and branch tips a realism that perfectly mirrors nature’s original design.

Some trees make your festive preparations easier with a ‘memory shape’ feature (virtually eliminating the need to shape your tree when putting it up at home), while others incorporate a ‘music match’ system that enables you to stream

Christmas songs and music from your Bluetooth devices and have the tree lights change display in sync with the sound!

It’s also the ideal opportunity to discover some of Norfolk Leisure’s stunning new products – from Keter (beautifully fresh ideas for simplifying and beautifying your indoor and outdoor spaces) and Happy Cocooning, which brings a whole new dimension to your outdoor celebrations with a contemporary twist on outdoor heating.

There’s never been a better or more affordable way to give your home a totally unique and perfectly luxurious look this Christmas!

The Norfolk Leisure showroom is open seven days a week from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday and from 10am-4pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Garage Lane, Setchey, King’s Lynn Norfolk PE33 0AX | Telephone: 01553 811717 Website: www.norfolkleisure.com | E-mail: sales@norfolkleisure.co.uk KLmagazine November 2016

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Amazing shows this Autumn November Highlights at King’s Lynn Corn Exchange…

Live Music, Comedy and Variety!

ABBA MANIA

Vampires Rock

Friday 4th November It’s just over 40 years since ABBA won Eurovision and now it’s your chance to thank ABBA for the music! This concert celebrates the music of ABBA, reviving special memories of when they ruled the airwaves.

So dig out those platforms, dust down those flares, join in and enjoy all of your favourites including Mamma Mia, Voulez Vous, Dancing Queen, Winner Takes It All, Super Trouper and many more.

GHOST TRAIN

ROY WOOD Sunday 6th November A new show confirmed after our brochure went to print! A rare and exclusive concert from Roy Wood and his Rock ‘n’ Roll band performing all the classic hits including I Can Hear The Grass Grow, Flowers In The Rain, Blackberry Way, See My Baby Jive and I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday to name a few.

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Thursday 10th November All aboard the Ghost Train! After more than a decade on tour the UK’s favourite Vampire Baron is back at the Corn Exchange. Steve Steinman has ramped up the vamp in this spectacular sequel to the phenomenally successful Vampires Rock musical concert. Amidst mischief and mayhem, this hilariously funny show lives up to its rocking reputation. Packed with Aerial Silk Stunts, Fang-tastic Fire Routines, Guitar Gods and Sexy Vampettes performing some of the best rock anthems of all time.

RICH HALL Friday 11th November Rich Hall’s critically acclaimed grouchy, deadpan style has established him as a master of absurdist irony and the king of rapid-fire wit.

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What’s On The award-winning Montana native renowned for his expertly crafted tirades and quick fire banter with audiences and delightful musical sequences saddles up, hitches his wagon and makes his way to the Corn Exchange once again. This is a comedian who's plain spoken growling indignation and acerbic observations have an unerring talent for hitting his targets with precision every time, leaving you hanging on every word and winning him fans all over the globe.

SOUL LEGENDS Saturday 12th November Direct from the USA it’s the music of Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Lionel Richie, Barry White, Earth Wind & Fire, Sam & Dave and more. Amazing performers authentically revive classics such as Respect, Soul Man, Ain’t Nobody, Proud Mary, River Deep Mountain High, Ain’t No Stopping Us Now, Three Times a Lady, Get Down on It, I Feel Good and more in the feel-good show of the year.

SETH LAKEMAN Sunday 13th November Award-winning folk-singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Seth Lakeman has successfully steered English folk music into the mainstream with high-energy performances and a series of best-selling albums over the last 10 years. His previous albums include 2014’s Word of Mouth, the Mercury-nominated Kitty Jay and the gold-selling Freedom Fields. See him for the first time live at the Corn Exchange.

THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF VARIETY Wednesday 16th November A fabulous show for all ages, taking you back to the great days of entertainment. Starring special guest from the original Dad's Army TV series, Frank Williams. Making a rare appearance onstage, Frank will take you on a trip down memory lane with stories from his Dad's Army days, to working with Morecambe & Wise and The Two Ronnies. With a full supporting company including comedian Nicky Martyn, singing star Tammy Jones and illusionists High Jinx.

SHALAMAR Saturday 26th November A night to remember, the greatest hits tour! Featuring Howard Hewett, Carolyn Griffey and Jeffrey Daniel.

Shalamar are one of the most successful Soul groups of all time selling 25 million albums worldwide with hits including A Night To Remember, Second Time Around, Take That To The Bank, There It Is, I Can Make You Feel Good, Over And Over and Dancing In The Sheets.

For complete listings pick up a copy of our brochure out now or see the ‘what’s on’ page of our website.

Tickets are available from our Box Office on 01553 764864 or book online at: kingslynncornexchange.co.uk @klcornexchange

KLmagazine November 2016

@klcornexchange

Alive Corn Exchange

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Local Life

ABOVE: King’s Lynn Town Hall has been at the centre of civic life for almost 1,000 years, and while the imposing Stone Hall is fittingly austere, the Assembly Room is luxury itself, especially when graced by period dancers on occasions such as Heritage Day (opposite)

Taking a walk through the rooms of history...

Connecting with the past and the famous and not-so famous people who made it has never been more enjoyable, as David Slater discovers on a fascinating visit to King’s Lynn Town Hall

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ick up an English history book and you’ll probably read that on August 8th 1768 Captain Cook set out on the voyage that ‘discovered’ Australia. What you won’t read is that four days later, 18-year-old Thomas Goskar of King’s Lynn was hard at work cleaning the windows of the Town Hall. It’s those little snapshots of everyday life that really bring history to life, and on a visit to King’s Lynn Town Hall there’s a snapshot around virtually every corner.

The Town Hall has been the centre of civic life in the town for over 800 years and it’s still the base of the Borough Mayor, whose offices are surrounded by a complex of beautiful rooms which

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today play host to weddings, special gatherings and business functions.

The foyer gives you a taste of things to come, with paintings by famous local artists and portraits of people who’ve made a significant impact on the development of King’s Lynn. Local scenes by Walter Dexter and Henry Baines (brother of the explorer/artist Thomas Baines) flank notables such as Thomas Bagge (mayor of Lynn at the turn of the 20th century), the great agricultural reformer Thomas Coke, and lawyer Robert Whincop – who was Town Clerk for almost 30 years at the end of the century.

A grand staircase leads you gently and gradually to the Stone Hall, which was originally built as the home of the

Merchant Guild of the Holy Trinity and has rung with laughter, debate and prayers for over 600 years. Once hung with richly embroidered fabrics and lit by fires, it’s now a far more austere space – but it’s no less impressive.

The floor of mammoth slabs of Ketton stone is the 1716 original, and the 15th century roof of Suffolk oak beams is a sheer wonder denied to previous generations as it was covered in plaster in 1825 and later hidden by a suspended ceiling – both of which were removed towards the end of the 20th century.

The hall is dominated by a vast south-facing Gothic window. Although it’s tempting to enjoy the view of King’s Lynn Minster, a closer look at the glass

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Local Life panels reveals a mass of graffiti left by various glaziers, window cleaners and lead workers over the years. While most simply record their work, some are surprising – including an early and enigmatic reference to Hitler (it was scratched into the glass in 1934) and a certain William Turner’s rant against his employer – “has got some good servants though bad master. Blast his eyes!”

Running behind the Stone Hall is a corridor full of public notices. There’s a declaration of peace from 1918, and warnings about drinking the town’s unsavoury water. One promotes the 1929 Royal Norfolk Show (which was held in the Walks), and a fascinating notice from May 1806 informs the public that the Public Scavenger would be starting work on Monday – and woe betide anyone trying to gather or dispose of any ashes or cinders on their own account.

Adjoining the hall is the old Magistrate’s Court, which was still in use as late as 1982. Originally built in 1767 as a council chamber, the room still has a great sense of drama – thanks to the surviving judge’s bench, lawyers’ desk and jury box. It’s a sense enhanced by the 1907 notice of bye-laws for the “good rule and government” of the Borough. They deal with everything from ‘wilful jostling’ to ‘carrying carcases’ and bye-law No.20 declares that “no person shall in any street or public place throw or leave any orange peel, banana skin, or other dangerous substance on any footway.”

The beautifully-proportioned jury room besides it contains some of the earliest civic portraits found anywhere in England outside London, including Joshua Green, who was Mayor of the town over 100 years before the room was built.

A few steps take you from the austere to the sumptuous as you leave the Stone Hall for the quite stunning Assembly Room, once the setting for grand balls, lectures and musical performances. Completed in 1768 using over 60,000 Ely bricks and costing £1,300, it originally had a balcony for an orchestra. The walls are graced by monumental paintings of Robert Walpole, Charles I, Horatio Nelson and George III, but the walls themselves are even more interesting.

In 1998, restoration work revealed that the Assembly Room had seen six clearly different paint schemes over the years – from blue to a reddish-pink.

Today, its decor is distinctly Georgian.

The Assembly Room leads to a more intimate space at its end, created especially for those contemporary revellers who preferred gaming to dancing (both George III and George IV were inveterate gamblers) and its centrepiece is an enormous mirror dating from the 1760s. The remarkable Rococo gilt frame is so intricate it almost obscures the mirror itself, and it’s one of the very few in the country of its age, size and quality to have survived to this day.

It’s tempting to see the Town Hall as simply a legacy from the past, an attractive building to be appreciated at a distance. But visiting its wonderful rooms really does bring history to life, connecting us to the people who built King’s Lynn and bringing us a few steps closer to our shared heritage.

Members of the public can tour the rooms detailed on these pages on Tuesdays and Sundays as part of the Stories of Lynn exhibition. Please see www.kingslynntownhall.com for more details and information.

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Windows | Doors | Conservatories | Roofline Orangeries | Flat Roofing | Garage Doors Glass Balustrades & Balconies

• uPVC • Aluminium • Timber • Residence 9

Tel: 01553 829240

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KLmagazine November 2016

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Whoever said that pensions were boring?

How Independent Financial Advisor Kate Trendell can help you take control of your financial future...

I

t was a typcial day in the office, dealing with client queries and writing reports. Just as I was taking the first sip of my afternoon cuppa, the phone rang.

It was my PA Jan telling me that a client was on the phone.

“Kate, it’s Liz on the phone. She says she met you recently and she needs to speak with you.”

I remembered Liz. I’d seen her nine months previously at a pension meeting we held at her workplace. Liz was in her early-40s and finalising her divorce.

She’d got a recent promotion and had a number of pensions from previous employers,

which we’d brought together so she had a clearer idea of her financial future.

On the phone, Liz told me the divorce was settled, the kids were back at school and life was moving on – but she was worried about her pension.

“Kate, I just don’t know what to do,” she said. “The company pays 3% into my pension, but since the divorce, things are tight and I don’t know how much to put in myself – or whether I can even afford to. Also, which investments should I choose? It all seems so complicated.”

I knew how she felt. Everybody feels the same until they get some advice.

On meeting Liz later, we did some

budgeting and worked out how much Liz could afford to contribute. She had a Premium Bond with £5,000 in it, enough in the bank to cover emergencies, and a Cash ISA with another £5,000 – although “that doesn’t earn me anything”, Liz said rather despondently.

We talked about investment risks and returns. Liz didn’t want large risks, but did need a decent return as she’s still quite young. Working through our profiler, I suggested the right mix of funds to invest in, to minimise risk.

“Liz, you know we brought together those old pensions,” I said. “Let’s see if we can add more into the pot.”

I started to talk about tax relief, but her eyes glazed over. When I explained that if she added the Premium Bond to her pension the taxman would also put in £1,250, this suddenly became interesting. And when she learned she’d get a further £1,250 by contributing the £5,000 Cash ISA that was currently paying her nothing, she became very interested indeed.

The £10,000 with its poor returns had become an extra £12,500 in her pension – and Liz could also look forward to some welcome tax back in her self-assessment return.

Suddenly, pensions were exciting, and Liz could see it as a way of building capital for a secure retirement – and as an effective strategy to save on taxes.

“Whoever thought pensions could be so interesting?” I asked.

If you’d like some help with pension planning – or any other aspect of your finances –please give me a call on 07739 339663 or e-mail me on ktrendell@barnsher.co.uk. I’m sure that together we can help you build a secure financial future.

Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers Office: West Winch, Norfolk PE33 0PW Contact: Kate Trendell Mobile: 07739 339663 E-mail: ktrendell@barnsher.co.uk Barnes & Sherwood Professional Advisers are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority 547997 KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

PICTURES: IAN WARD

Local Life

ABOVE: The crew of Cromer RNLI Lifeboat Station take to the waters during the station’s annual Lifeboat Day in August – the service has been keeping the waters off the north Norfolk coast safe for over 200 years

The proud traditions of a truly lifesaving service One of the oldest in the country, the Cromer RNLI Lifeboat Station have saved countless lives over the 212 years of its history – and is home to the greatest lifeboatman of all time

I

t will come as a surprise to many people to learn that the Cromer Lifeboat Station actually predates Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) by some 20 years. It was first established in 1804 and formed part of the Norfolk Shipwreck Association until it was taken over by the RNLI in 1857, which had been founded 33 years earlier.

Since 1923 there have been two lifeboats based at Cromer – the larger for working on the outlying sands and the smaller for working inshore.

KLmagazine November 2016

Without a doubt, the outstanding figure in the history of Cromer Lifeboat Station (and a central figure in the national history of lifeboats) was Henry George Blogg, who became a member of the Cromer crew in 1894 at the age of 18.

He was coxswain from 1909-1947, and during his incredible 53 years as a lifeboatman the Cromer lifeboats had been called out on service 387 times and rescued no less than 873 lives.

Blogg’s record is without equal in the history of the RNLI, and no lifeboatman

has received so many decorations for gallantry. He won the Gold Medal of the Institution (which is only given for conspicuous gallantry) an amazing three times and won the Silver Medal four times; once for rescuing 30 men and a dog from the steamer Monte Nevoso, which had run aground on the Haisborough Sands – the Canine Defence League duly awarded him their own Silver Medal. Blogg also held the George Cross and the British Empire Medal, and when he retired in 1947 (11 years past the usual retiring date for

25

Local Life

PICTURES: IAN WARD

ABOVE: Henry Blogg, who served as a lifeboatman at Cromer for 53 years, and is rightly considered one of the greatest figures in RNLI history. Today’s crew is following in the tradition of long service – Richard ‘Nelson’ Kirk (left, centre) was presented with a 20-year long service medal at the Cromer RNLI Annual Lifeboat Day in August.

lifeboatmen) the new lifeboat at Cromer was named after him.

Henry Blogg died on 13th June 1954 at the age of 78, and in 2006 a museum dedicated to his memory was opened in the town – the first purpose-built RNLI museum to be opened since the Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh, Northumberland opened in 1938.

Whilst his record will almost certainly never be equalled, the current crew at Cromer Lifeboat Station continue to maintain the exceptionally high standards Henry Blogg set, and they’re still receiving well-deserved awards.

Since the 1980s, the inshore lifeboat (which is launched from the beach) has seen Helmsman Clive Rayment receive the RNLI Bronze Medal in 1981, while both Acting Coxswain William Davies and Coxswain Richard Davies were awarded the institution’s prestigious Thanks on Vellum in 1998 and 1999 respectively.

The bravery of the crew working the station’s all weather lifeboat (which launches down a slipway from the end of the pier) has been similarly recognised. Coxswain Richard Davies

26

received the RNLI’s Thanks on Vellum in 1988 for the rescue of the yacht Phaedra, and the institution’s Bronze Medal in 1993 for the rescue of the yacht Happy Bear. Interestingly – and fittingly – enough, both Richard and William Davies are all related to Henry Blogg.

Today, Cromer Lifeboat Museum maintains a 24-hour alert system for all members of the crew, who remain volunteers. The only full-time employee is a mechanic (for obvious reasons) and when he’s away on holiday the role is covered by a relief crew member, allowing both boats to be launched immediately with fullytrained volunteers on board.

With the widespread use of GPS and mobile phones, lifeboats aren’t launched as often as they were in the past, but at the latest Coastal Review conducted by the RNLI it was emphasised that the role of Cromer’s lifeboats would continue to provide a valuable – and in many cases, lifesaving – service. With a full volunteer crew and people continuing to join Cromer RNLI, the future remains

positive.

Today, visitors are welcome to visit the boathouse at the end of Cromer Pier all year round, enjoying a good view of the Tamar class lifeboat, the ability to read about its history and see the historic boards detailing the station's rescues. Due to it being a working station, access is upstairs with a viewing platform. Please note that the inshore boathouse (which offers visitors the chance to see a D-class lifeboat at close proximity) is only open during the summer months. Visitors are always very generous and make voluntary donations in the collecting boxes – funds without which the work of the RNLI simply wouldn’t be possible.

For more details and information, see www.cromerrnli.org.uk

KLmagazine November 2016

Introducing the new E-Class Estate

Extending its position at the top of the class, the new E-Class Estate raises the bar in the automotive world. An abundance of intelligent technology set a new benchmark in terms of safety and comfort. From Active Brake Assist to optional DRIVE PILOT, Mercedes-Benz has developed a range of driving aids tasked solely with reducing driver workload and improving every journey.

Order yours from £399* per month, until 31 December 2016.

Representative example E 220 d SE including metallic paint

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KLmagazine November 2016

A great price, but a shame about the cover... n the face of it, the idea of comparison websites is a good one – enabling you to evaluate various choices to get the one that’s best and cheapest for you – but it’s an idea beset with pitfalls for the unwary, and that’s particularly true when it comes to insurance.

“If you need legal advice or have a tax issue you’ll probably use a solicitor or accountant,” says Nick Osborne (right) of IBA Insurance Services in King’s Lynn. “When you’re looking to protect something as important as your home or your business, relying on a website and your own knowledge of how insurance works really isn’t the most sensible way to go about it – so why not use a professional insurance broker?”

Yes, you may well be able to find what appears to be a great insurance deal online, but there’s often a very good reason why.

“Look closely at the small print and look at the excesses,” says Nick. “Cheap insurance can look very different should a claim occur.”

O

KLmagazine November 2016

Moreover, one of the greatest dangers of online DIY insurance has recently been addressed by the Insurance Act 2015, which places a clear responsibility on the insured (that’s you) to be clear and accurate in providing information. It’s the result of many people ‘massaging’ their details online in order to get a better quote, a practice that can result in a claim being reduced or even refused outright – and it’s a practice that’s largely unnecessary.

“We’re probably more competitive than online providers because we’re totally independent,” says Nick.

“Instead of being tied to five or six specific insurance companies, we have access to the whole market – and that includes very specialist insurers.”

It means that in addition to offering personal face-to-face service and years of experience, IBA Insurance Services can find the policy that’s perfectly and exactly suited to your individual or company needs – and a quote that’s invariably as good (if not better) than anything you’ll find online.

And should the worst happen, Nick and his team at IBA Insurance Services will be there to fight your corner, dealing professionally and thoroughly with every

aspect of your claim, so you don’t have to.

“We’ve had several people leave us after receiving ‘cheap’ online quotes but they’ve returned shortly afterwards following an unsuccessful claim,” says Nick. “It’s important to remember that we don’t work for insurance companies, we work for you – and we’ve always got your best interests at heart.”

If you’re really looking for the best insurance for your personal or business insurance – at the best price – look no further than the high street specialists at IBA Insurance Services.

IBA Insurance Services Osborne House, 111 High Street, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1DA Tel: 01553 770112 Web: www.ibainsurance.co.uk E-mail: enquiries@ibainsurance.co.uk

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IBA Insurance Services is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority No.311163

Why your online insurance may not be the great deal it appears to be

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KLmagazine November 2016

PICTURES: LEE BIGLAND

Local Life

ABOVE: Musician, teacher and passionate fundraiser Lee Bigland on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro during his 6-day ascent of the world’s tallest freestanding mountain in August. His achievement, which raised around £4,000 for West Norfolk MIND is all the more remarkable for a young man with no previous climbing experience.

From Marham to the top of the world...

If there’s one thing Lee Bigland loves more than music it’s raising money for charity. Richard Parr meets the local man who’s reaching new heights (quite literally!) in his fundraising efforts

S

ome young people come in for a fair amount of criticism these days, largely centred around their lifestyle and general ‘anti’ attitude.

Obviously this isn’t true of all young people, and award-winning Lee Bigland of Marham is a young man who’s very much the exception.

Lee is passionate about fundraising, particularly in support of the mental health charity MIND, and at only 24, he’s already cycled from London to Paris (raising around £1,500) and jumped from an aircraft in aid of Cystic Fibrosis, a condition one of his friends KLmagazine November 2016

suffers from.

Lee leads a busy life. In addition to working full time as a music teacher at the West Norfolk Academy of Music in King’s Lynn, Lee plays rugby for Swaffham RFUC, badminton, and cycles with the Sandringham and West Norfolk Cyclists. He plays bass guitar in various local bands including The Walks, The Kat Brittain Band and The Coots.

When asked how he fits it all in his day, Lee replies by saying that if you’re passionate about something you can always find time.

“I just want to raise as much as I can for MIND because it’s such an

important mental health charity,” he says. “West Norfolk MIND helps a lot of people who may not otherwise find support, or are too afraid to ask for it.”

For Lee, getting the message out there is a driving passion, and he’s a great believer in raising awareness among the general public.

“Raising awareness of mental illness is sometimes more helpful than the treatment of it,” he says. “Some people don’t even realise they’re ill and that’s what makes MIND so important. It’s something I strongly believe in.”

His impressive charity efforts have led to Lee being named Charity Champion 31

Local Life

ABOVE: Lee (standing, far right) at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, six days after setting out (left) on his fundraising adventure. An accomplished musician and teacher, Lee is now planning a charity MindAid concert in King’s Lynn for June 2017.

of West Norfolk, an award that came after he returned from his biggest challenge so far – climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa earlier this year.

The world’s tallest free-standing mountain, Kilimanjaro rises to some 19,000ft – and Lee’s achievement is all the more remarkable when you discover he had no previous mountain climbing experience before embarking on his 6-day expedition.

“I’d never climbed a mountain in my life, but having a sporting background means that I’m reasonably fit and I just decided to go for it,” he says. “It was the hardest thing thing I’ve ever done, both mentally and physically, but it really was an amazing experience and one that I’ll always remember.”

Lee says that the climb was very tough and on some days he would be climbing for nine hours at a time.

“It became extremely cold as I climbed higher and higher to the top.,” he says. “Walking through the night on ‘summit night’ was particularly exhausting. Numerous times I felt like I needed to give up but I always kept in mind how this was going to benefit many people.”

Lee’s keen to point out it wasn’t an entirely solo effort, praising those who’ve supported his efforts and encouraged him.

“The amount of people who have offered to help by fundraising and giving their time to help with the organization of the MindAid concert has been phenomenal,” he says.

32

Lee remains modest about his achievement in ascending the mountain, and when you listen to him talking about the experience his passion for wanting to raise money for charity comes over very strongly.

“My two favourite things in life are music and helping other people,” he says. “I know that the money I’ve raised for MIND in West Norfolk will go a long way in our local community.”

Never one to rest on his laurels, Lee is already planning his next major fundraising project for June next year.

He’s currently organizing a MindAid concert at the King’s Lynn Corn Exchange featuring local musicians.

He’ll be selling 700 tickets for the event (scheduled to take place on June 24th 2017) and hopes to raise around £7,000 from the event.

“This will be a major fundraising event and I’m determined to ensure it’s a great success,” says Lee. “I’ve already had a lot of encouragement and support from fellow musicians, local press, online media and from people who just want to help me.”

And if you think Lee couldn’t pack any more into his busy life you’d be wrong.

During the summer, when he wasn’t planning to climb his first mountain, he organised a recording in a music studio in Pentney. Around 40 local musicians took part to record a cover version of a popular song from the 1970s. It was, of course, the classic Toto hit Africa.

West Norfolk MIND is an independent local charity that promotes positive mental health and social inclusion within the community. It provides a variety of resources for people with mental health issues, their families and friends. For more details, see www.westnorfolkmind.org.uk You can still contribute to Lee’s amazing fundraising efforts by visiting www.justgiving.com/fundraising/big92 or by texting BIG92 and your donation amount to 70070.

KLmagazine November 2016

KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

just accelerated to a new record low, falling 1.3% in September from 1.1% in August (Nielsen Shop Price Index, September 2016).

“We’re in the fourth year of falling shop prices now, so the record-setting run of shop price deflation continues, which is great news for consumers,” says Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium. “This is as a direct result of the intense competition and transformational change in the retail industry with consumers having access to more choices and greater ability to compare prices than ever before.”

So while supermarkets continue working hard for your custom, they may actually shelter you from the effect of the falling pound. However, one can clearly see that it’s the supermarkets’ producers and suppliers who may well suffer in the short term.

Who’s afraid of the falling pound?

With the financial news full of post-Brexit doom and gloom, Claire Melton FCCA TEP of Stephenson Smart explains how the falling pound may be good news for you and your business e’ve recently seen the pound escalate to a 31-year low against the dollar and a 3-year low against the Euro in the last quarter, and whilst there are inevitable negatives in these turbulent times, there are also some positives which may well benefit our financial landscape.

W

FOR BUSINESSES...

The effect on your business may not be a bad one – and may in fact make you more competitive.

Although exports should increase as they become cheaper to the world due to the depreciation of the pound, costs of production will probably increase, making goods and services more expensive to produce. Exporters will need to decide as and when it’s appropriate to increase their selling prices and may currently be absorbing some of the increased costs or may not yet have felt these.

Imports will become more expensive to you and may therefore fall if you can source them closer to home. This could particularly benefit local farmers and food producers. However, these sectors are very reliant on oil and chemicals which (due to their origins) are likely to increase in cost.

KLmagazine November 2016

Tourism at home should also benefit as it becomes more expensive to holiday abroad. The pound won’t buy as much as it did, and its depreciation should then attract more tourists from abroad who will enjoy the increased value of their own currency in the UK. Our coastal resorts and communities will all feel the benefit of that.

FOR INDIVIDUALS...

In theory, a falling pound means the cost of imports increases – and as a result the cost of living will inevitably go up. The price you pay for your groceries will creep up and the cost of larger items like cars and white goods will undoubtedly see an increase over the coming months.

However, according to the British Retail Consortium, food deflation has

OUR BRANCHES

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If you were planning to invest overseas (in property for example) the lower the pound falls, the more expensive the purchase will be to you. If you already own a property or investments overseas and decide to sell them, you may actually benefit from the strength of foreign currency. As an example, €100,000 would have bought you £73,555 in October 2015 – whereas last month it would have converted to £90,090.

The fall in the pound may attract investment from overseas in our beautiful Norfolk coastal properties. This would enable investors to buy bigger and better holiday homes than they previously had or couldn’t previously afford – although the sting in the tail may be increasing house prices.

If you have any concerns about how the changing fortunes of the pound may affect you or your business, contact Stephenson Smart for professional and impartial financial help and advice.

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Letting Better Our monthly round up of the latest news and legislation concerning Landlords and Tenants in the private rented sector with Edmonton Estates Director Damien Simone

Independent Lettings & Property Management Specialists

QUI CK FAC TS In September 2015 the Housing Minister Brandon Lewis declared the need for 1 million new homes to be constructed in England by 2020 to ease the housing crisis.

Build to rent not buy to let A

s the name suggests Build to Rent is the process of purchasing land to build a rental property rather than buying an existing dwelling. Since its initial inception back in 2012 Build to Rent projects have been primarily dominated by Housing Associations. However, following the unfavourable changes in tax regulations for Buy to Let investors, which commenced from this fiscal year, interest from private landlords in building rather than buying is already beginning to soar.

This is because the criteria for obtaining Buy to Let mortgages is becoming more challenging every year and this coupled with an extra 3% Stamp Duty for buying a property for rental is not a great incentive. In comparison when building a property there are a lot more tax deductible elements and no stamp duty linked to the property’s use when finished.

Whilst there are large private landlords and property investment clubs that are building blocks of flats and mews house developments on a medium scale there are opportunities in this sector for smaller projects as well.

We manage properties for two landlords who have each completed construction of a pair of 2 bedroom semi-detached houses which were rented prior to completion and we are currently involved with 3 other sites that are scheduled for completion within the next 6 months.

The rental market is just as diverse as that of property sales and as well as there being a consistent demand for traditional 2 and 3 bedroom properties, the local rental market severely lacks 4 and 5 bedroom family homes. There are multiple building plots available for sale in West Norfolk and Cambridgeshire with planning permission already granted for this size

home and these offer many opportunities for investors who may not have the resources to purchase an existing dwelling. Also with sensible budgeting your new property will have an instant capital appreciation once completed which your mortgage advisor could release for you if required.

Build to Rent projects do take considerably longer to plan and progress than purchasing a Buy to Let property as there are more legislative points to consider particularly relating to planning permission. However, in the longer term this avenue currently represents some of the best return on investment for landlords. If you would like to discuss this topic with us further or to learn how we are assisting other Build to Rent investors then please don’t hesitate to contact us, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Edmonton Estates Ltd, St Ann’s House, 18 St Ann’s Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1LT 01553 660615 | www.edmontonestates.co.uk | info@edmontonestates.co.uk

KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

PICTURES: IAN WARD

Local Life

Keeping an eye on our charming winter visitors They’re one of our best-loved animals, but the public’s growing interest in local seal colonies can have unforseen effects. Sylvia Steele meets some of the people caring for these charming creatures

T

he summer visitors have departed and there’s a crisp feel to the air, and it’s thought by many who live along the coast to be the best time of the year to see Norfolk’s wildlife.

Grey Seals are born in November and December, making Christmas time ideal for enjoying the heart-melting sight of hundreds of pups basking on rocky Blakeney Point, a four-mile sand and shingle spit. Blakeney National Nature Reserve, one of the largest expanses of undeveloped coastal habitat of its type in Europe, extends to 1,097 hectares and is accessible by foot from the car

KLmagazine November 2016

park at Cley-next-the-Sea or by ferry trips from Morston Quay or Blakeney Harbour.

Seemingly unfazed by human attention, seals are inquisitive creatures, attracted by the human voice as they pop up out of the water around the boats raising their dog-like features and huge eyes for photographs.

Further along the coast, Horsey’s unspoilt sandy beach is regarded as much more than just an expanse of sand. It’s a somewhat desolate but magical place during the winter months for it is then that the beach becomes home to a colony of hundreds of grey seals.

Their favoured diet is sand eels and cod, but they will usually take whatever fish is available. A fully-grown male grey seal can measure 207cm and weigh in at up to 250kgs (females are slightly smaller) and while the life expectancy of males is seldom more than 25 years a female can survive for up to 35 years.

Inquisitive, playful and trusting, seals are loved by visitors to Norfolk’s beaches who regard them as very much like their own canine pups. Sadly, though, seals can be affected by the presence of humans caused both intentionally and by accident.

Whereas Grey Seals are born during the winter months, Common Seals

39

Local Life

ABOVE: A seal colony on Blakeney Point – Norfolk currently has one of the largest populations of Common Seals in Europe

40

sanctuary very sick and injured and sometimes close to death; the veterinary team then works throughout the night to do everything possible to stabilise their condition.

Daily routine at the sanctuary begins before sunrise checking the inmates one by one, monitoring temperature and taking any blood tests necessary to check for infections – and each pup has its own programme of treatment and prescribed medication.

A newly-arrived pup is fed every four hours throughout the day and night until the frequency of the feeds is decreased as its condition stabilises.

Feeds for a pup less than three weeks old will be liquidised fish and a mixture of glucose and electrolyte solution that resembles the texture of a thick milk shake – it’s considered the closest to the mother’s milk.

Although this can be bottle-fed, Adam’s keen to keep this to a minimum.

“We don’t handle the pups more than what’s essential to avoid them becoming too used to human contact,” he says. “Our work is to get them healthy and to return them to the wild.”

At three weeks old, the pups are weaned onto whole fish, aiming to meet a target weight of 20kgs – at which time they’ll move to the outside nursery pool to gain further weight and strength. One more job remains before the heart-stopping release to the wild, however; a small identity tag is attached to a flipper.

Alison Charles is the Manager of the RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre, and she says it’s important rehabilitated

success be measured not only by the number of animals released but also by how well they cope back in the wild.

“We’ve worked with scientists from the Sea Mammal Research Unit of University of St. Andews to track and monitor common seals after release,” she says. “Research shows they return without adverse effects – they can swim and dive just as well as healthy seals, and that’s great news for us and for all the seals that come into our care.”

Seals are one of our most charismatic mammals – they’re a joy to watch due to their inquisitive nature and they’re so easy to love.

Asked what their work means to them, staff at the Hunstanton Sanctuary are unanimous.

“Knowing our efforts are making a difference is reward enough.”

PICTURES: IAN WARD

have their young between June and August, hauling out onshore between tides to give birth, rest and moult; it’s a time of great vulnerability, for any disturbance can cause the mother to plunge into the water leaving the pup behind isolated and exposed.

“At the moment, we’re lucky enough to have the largest population of Common Seals in Europe,” says Adam McKinnon, Marketing Coordinator at Hunstanton Sealife Sanctuary. “Since 2002, when they were last affected by distemper and the estimated population dropped as much as 50%, there’s been a steady increase to the present level of around 3,000 arrivals.”

This summer was the sanctuary’s busiest ever for seal rescues.

“We rescued 50 seals up to the end of July,” says Adam. “That was seven more than the whole of last year and we still had five months of the year to go!”

It’s believed three factors have combined to this year’s state of affairs.

“The stranded sperm whales on Hunstanton beach this year encouraged many more people in the area to watch our work,” says Adam, “and we also saw the closures of facilities such as Winterton Sea Hospital. And, of course, we’ve enjoyed good sunny weather – which has brought more people onto the beaches. That’s increased the likelihood of seal mums being disturbed and abandoning their offspring.”

The Animal Care Team are on call around the clock monitoring calls from the police and public before racing to rescue seal pups anywhere around the coast. The pups often arrive at the

KLmagazine November 2016

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West Norfolk: Then and Now

1952

2016

ST JAMES STREET REVISITED We have KL magazine Samantha Martin of Downham Market to thank for this month’s picture, which was taken in St. James Street, King’s Lynn in 1952.

She’s not too sure about who the ‘works entrance’ belonged to, and thinks the building to the far left was a newsagents (there’s an advertisement

for Craven A cigarettes below the window) – but she’s unsure of the date and thinks the picture may have been taken earlier than the 1950s.

If you have any more details, please contact us! You can enjoy thousands of images of Norfolk’s history on the website at www.picture.norfolk.gov.uk or by visiting the Norfolk Heritage

Centre at the Millennium Library, The Forum, Norwich (or your local studies library). We’ll be taking another look back in time at the local area next month.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Enjoy thousands of images of Norfolk’s unique history at www.picture.norfolk.gov.uk 42

KLmagazine November 2016

Pets

AnimalMatters Our monthly look at the issues concerning you and your pets with Alex Dallas of the London Road Veterinary Centre...

SMALL BITES M

any animals find fireworks scary, it is estimated that 45 per cent of dogs in the UK show signs of fear when they hear fireworks.

It doesn’t have to be that way though, firework phobia is a treatable condition and animals don’t have to suffer every year.

We have lots of advice on our website makeyourpetsmile.co.uk and many products at the practice which can make a huge difference to you’re your pet.

Also, don’t forget our companion animal behaviour specialist Simonne is always on hand for any behavioural issues, just give us a call.

The 10 o’clock meeting T

he first thing you must know about the 10 o’clock meeting is it happens at 10.30.

The second thing is it’s the most effective time spent in the day at the practice.

We get as many of the practice team together as possible in the main ward and go round and discuss the patients that are in or that have arrived for treatment that day. Some may be in for routine operations, others may be complicated cases requiring significant veterinary treatment.

The input from the head nurse and her team and from the veterinary surgeons overseeing the particular case are invaluable. Our team of veterinary surgeons all have their own strengths and we will often ask each other for input with different cases. Whether it be Sara, our cardiologist, Calin, our surgery and eye expert, or Elenor who is brilliant at dealing with complicated

medical cases, each brings their own experience to the meeting. Our nursing team will update us about each animal’s individual character and behaviour, their likes and dislikes. Using our combined knowledge also enables us to tailor our care to each pet and owner’s specific needs, making the whole experience as stress free as possible for everyone concerned!

Having such a fantastic, capable team allows me to come in each morning and use my own experience (of which I have a few years’ worth!) to oversee the cases we have with us. This means that over the course of the day I will often be involved with each animal’s care on some level, which may be just to lend some advice to a colleague or to assist a client I have known for years.

This sharing of knowledge and experience is what helps us to provide each pet we see with the expert care and attention they deserve.

London Road Vets

@LondonRoadVets

www.makeyourpetsmile.co.uk

LONDON ROAD 25 London Road, King’s Lynn telephone: 01553 773168 e-mail: info@lrvc.co.uk HOLLIES Paradise Road, Downham Market telephone: 01366 386655 e-mail: info@holliesvetclinic.co.uk KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

Local Life

ABOVE: The Norfolk Black is one of the oldest breeds of turkey, originally bred from the Aztec turkeys brought from Mexico by Spanish explorers. Robert Garner (opposite) of Godwick Hall Farm produces and prepares up to 6,000 for the Christmas market.

Putting Godwick on the local festive map...

It’s one of the most important and traditional elements of our Christmas celebrations, but there’s a lot more to putting a turkey on the table than you might think, as Sylvia Steele discovers

I

t’s just after first light in a lane running through the rolling Norfolk pastureland where sheep graze. In a distant paddock the doors of a huge barn, closed against nighttime predators, are opened and hundreds of turkeys are roused from their roosts, running happily into the open air, stretching their black plumage and pecking vociferously at the lush pasture.

The sight is the very essence of ‘freerange’ and it’s a daily routine that Robert Garner of Godwick Hall Farm insists upon. In favour of the traditional approach that goes back centuries, Robert has built a stress-free environment for his turkeys and he’s

KLmagazine November 2016

adamant they be treated with the same respect all farm animals deserve.

The Garner family have farmed the land in this isolated corner of Norfolk for many years – and diversified in part 50 years ago to the rearing of freerange turkeys. Robert is actually the third generation of his family in the business, which produces and prepares up to 6,000 turkeys for the Christmas and Thanksgiving markets.

“That’s about twice what we were producing when we started,” he says.

“It’s a job I’d always wanted to do from when I was a young lad helping my father on the farm. I wasn’t interested in the general school curriculum very much, but I always loved agriculture

and attended Easton College to study theoretical and practical agriculture.

Finally, in 2010 I completed a Farm Management Course at the Royal College of Agriculture at Cirencester.”

Godwick turkeys are reared for a full seven months; they’re fed on a natural diet of fresh vegetables and homegrown cereals, free from additives or growth promoters, and in the autumn they eat all the windfall apples from the family orchard.

“I know from years of experience that quality and flavour is a process that cannot be rushed,” says Robert. “It’s very important the birds be given time to develop naturally and to full maturity.”

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Local Life

Robert is a member of the TFTA (Traditional Farmfresh Turkey Association), which was founded in 1984 and is recognised across Europe as a leader in the very best of traditional turkey production and standards of welfare. TFTA was the first to gain the designation Traditional Speciality Guaranteed – recognition that protects against imitation and highlights regional food whose authenticity and origin can be guaranteed. Robert was TFTA Chairman for two years.

“The Association’s key role,” he says, “is to improve members’ marketing by encouraging like-minded producers to join together and adhere to the same strict regime in which we all take pride.”

Godwick Hall Farm Turkeys are traditional slow-growing Norfolk Black or Bronze breeds, and Robert’s happy to explain the difference between them.

“Norfolk Black turkeys have a statuesque carriage and deep black plumage and they’re one of the original turkey breeds,” he says. “When first imported into Europe from America and Mexico it was found to be very desirable meat with a slightly gamey taste. Bronze Turkeys were bred out of Norfolk Blacks and have a more mellow taste that appeals to many people because of the succulent white meat produced from its broad breast.”

46

In recent years demand for Robert’s turkeys has far outstripped production; November through December being the optimum months with preparation for the Thanksgiving and Christmas tables.

Grown to their accepted size over a minimum of 26 weeks ensures development of a natural fat covering, the turkeys are prepared ‘on farm’ which means minimum stress to the birds; they’re dry-plucked by hand, dressed and packaged on the premises.

But there’s more to this business than the production of Christmas turkeys.

This year, Godwick Farm (in alliance with a local butcher at Litcham) introduced a new product in sausages and burgers ostensibly for the barbeque – but from this the recipe for Turkey Souvlaki evolved. Served on kebab sticks with pitta bread and salad, it received an immediate thumbs-up at the Royal Norfolk Show.

The run-up to Christmas is naturally a chaotic time at Godwick Farm, but when does the process start all over again?

Groundwork for next year begins fully with delivery of 7,000 day-old Kelly Bronze and Norfolk Black chicks in the first week of June. Raised under heat canopies for five weeks, they go into finishing sheds for two weeks before, at seven weeks old, they’re let out to roam

the fenced pasture at will during daylight hours.

Preparation for the Christmas market begins at the farm on the first day of December when management and daily work is completed by a small team, all with the desire to maintain highest standards of welfare for the birds.

“It’s a chaotic time for all of us,” says Robert. “It’s all work and very little sleep.”

However, January is a quieter time, when he can enjoy his enduring love of photography and a day’s shooting with his dogs. February is a chance to grab a holiday in the sun with wife, Charlotte, and their two young daughters before the round starts all over again.

Godwick Farm has received plaudits from chefs such as Antony Worrall Thompson and Rachel Green and achieved the Great Taste Gold Award in 2012, but his success means much more than awards to Robert Garner.

“I can’t emphasize enough what the appreciation and loyalty from my own locality means,” he says. “I consider myself a very lucky man – I love my family and my home and I love my turkeys, especially when I arrive at work and they happily run towards me!”

For more details and information, please visit www.godwickturkeys.com

KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

Heating new homes and saving energy with air source heating Why air source heating from 4 Way Refrigeration is the way of the future for sustainable, energy-efficient and cost-effective homes...

W

inter is the ideal time to discover why air source heating from 4 Way Refrigeration has been the choice of local builders for many years now in the development of affordable, energy-efficient and sustainable homes.

It doesn’t matter how cold it gets outside, air source heating can still provide all your property’s heating and hot water needs by compressing the air around your home to a higher temperature – and the high quality systems designed and installed by 4 Way Refrigeration can work efficiently in temperatures of -15o and below.

Even better, air source heating enables you to heat your water to a specific and controllable temperature, so you’ll only ever pay for what you actually use. The

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This has a direct and significant impact on both your energy usage and your costs. Compared to traditional boiler systems, 4 Way Refrigeration’s air source heating systems can lower heating bills significantly and reduce a home’s carbon emissions by around 50%. It sounds too good to be true, but it’s not – the heat is naturally out there and the technology behind air source heating is simply using it more efficiently.

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Contact 4 Way Refrigeration now to discover more about air source heating. Starting with your building plans and drawings, we’ll design a system for the property or properties that makes the most of the latest technology and gives you a home that’s cost-effective, energy-efficient – and warm in winter!

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KLmagazine November 2016

49

Moving with the times with ECOnomy Windows

“

How ECOnomy Windows has written a new chapter in the story of double glazing – with new products and a commitment to service...

F

or almost 30 years, ECOnomy Windows has been at the forefront

of double glazing, successfully completing more than 20,000 local installations characterised by a genuine commitment to customer service, a reputation for very high standards of workmanship, and a continuous policy of introducing innovative and exciting new products.

Although the history of double glazing is testament to the phrase that necessity is the mother of invention, no one is entirely sure where it all started.

There’s some evidence that large houses in Scotland had a form of double glazing in the 1870s, but it was simply a second sheet of glass puttied 50

”

to existing windows.

For the true origins of modern double glazing (two layers of glass bonded together in a single frame) we have to go back to 1930s America and an nt we’ve It’s the best investme ved pro im the ever made – r ou nd yo be ll we is comfort level ve we ha ly on t No s. ion tat expec reduced bills, the gained the benefit of els is fantastic! lev ise no in reduction ne by a do A great job very well k you an Th y. an first-class comp ! ch so mu

Mr Dennis Wisbech

engineer called C.D. Haven. His idea needed glass of uniform thickness and absolute flatness to work properly, a requirement so expensive to produce it took Haven over 10 years to find a manufacturer willing to take it on.

Eventually, the Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Company of Toledo (Ohio) patented the idea and registered the name of ‘Thermopane’ – which soon proved immensely popular and became a trademark of sophistication and luxury. It took some time for the UK to catch up, however.

It was the domestic building boom of the 1960s that changed things. Almost half a million new homes were built in the UK between 1960-70, and most

“

”

so easy The new windows are ely not to look after and it’s lov them. ing int pa t having to worry abou we t tha is all of ng But the best thi heating off in actually have to turn the are brilliant ws do winter! The new win . We’ve rm wa use ho the at keeping ng less fuel usi ’re really noticed that we y om On EC nk and we can’t tha ! gh ou en s Window

Mr and Mrs Mattless Wisbech

were poorly insulated, creating several problems for homeowner and for the houses themselves. Central heating barely existed and double glazing was simply too expensive.

The government stepped in with the first national building regulations, detailing the amount of energy that could be lost through the fabric of a new home – and the move encouraged builders to develop and invest their time in new technology and new materials that would cut the energy cost.

And just as energy costs soared, cheaper materials for double glazed windows emerged. Expensive wooden frames were replaced by aluminium, which itself was replaced by uPVC (unplasticised polyvinyl chloride) in the 1980s. A firm and sturdy replacement from what had come before, it was very cost effective – and its airtight design increased the levels of thermal efficiency considerably.

By 1999 the number of new homes in the UK being fitted with double glazing was almost 70% (it had been only 16% in

1979) and it had changed from being a pricey luxury to an affordable necessity.

By then, ECOnomy Windows was already over 10 years old, and the company has continued that tradition of innovation, responding to the increased demands for energy efficiency and performance, and driven by the needs of homeowners for superior quality products.

Like the double glazing industry itself, ECOnomy Windows has never stood still. The company introduced the revolutionary A-rated ‘Ecotherm’ window in 2011 and the triple-glazed Ecotherm Plus three years later. Only this year, ECOnomy Windows introduced the most advanced window on the market today – an A++ tripleglazed product that reaches new levels of noise reduction, insulation and stunning good looks.

Indeed, looks are another area in which ECOnomy Windows has been leading the field in customer choice.

Long gone are the days when you could have your windows in any colour as long as it was white.

Today, ECOnomy Windows can offer you windows in virtually any colour you require – and in any style to suit any property (including sash and Georgian bar windows). The company even has the facility to create bespoke and patterned windows for unique properties.

Some things, however, have never changed. ECOnomy Windows has

“

”

To complement our ne w build Georgian-style dwelli ng, we wanted the doors and windows to suit. ECOnomy Window s helped us discuss the options an d choose our products, the fitters too k their shoes off when working ind oors, and after the installation they fin e-tuned and checked all 17 windows and doors to our complete satisfacti on. An amazing job from an amazing company!

Mr and Mrs Miles Wymondham

always put customer care at the top of the list. Today you can look forward to no high pressure sales techniques and you’ll never be asked for a deposit – only paying when your new windows are fitted. And the company’s own PAYE installation team has an outstanding reputation for first-class service, from their attention to detail to the care they take with your home.

For a look at the new generation of windows and to discover more about how they can benefit both your home and your energy costs – now and in the future – contact ECOnomy Windows for more details and information.

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KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

Local Life

ABOVE: One of the fascinating examples of the woodcarver’s art dotted along the Sandringham Sculpture Trail – which started 16 years ago with the creation of this carving of St Felix (opposite), who is said to have been shipwrecked on the River Babingley around 615AD and was saved from drowning by a colony of beavers.

An artistic walk in the woods at Sandringham It’s not every day you can expect to come face to face with saints and Greek myths, wild animals and fictional beasts. Sylvia Steele discovers the wonders of the Sandringham Sculpture Trail...

KLmagazine November 2016

the Arboreal Walk, the trail begins with a sculpture of St. Felix with a beaver standing by his side. The piece relates to the legend of St. Felix’s arrival in nearby Babingley.

It was around the turn of the new millennium that St. Felix (and his beaver friend) were carved from a chestnut tree trunk to promote the Millennium Community Project. At that time sited close to one of the longer trails in Sandringham Country Park, it was often missed by many visitors (other than walkers of the 2-mile trail) and has since been repositioned to introduce visitors to the Sculpture Trail.

Since the arrival of the St. Felix sculpture in 2000, a new carving has been added every year – there are currently 17 in total. Again, these were

PICTURES: IAN WARD

T

he angry whirring of a chainsaw attracts visitors at the Sandringham Park Craft Fair to witness a fascinating demonstration of the woodcarver’s speed and dexterity. Awestruck they stand and observe another attack on the chestnut log as the sculptor works on – a cut here, a nick there, and two eyes emerge from the wood.

As the chainsaw moves downward, a nose begins to develop, the lines around the mouth appear. The cutting edge moves down again to slice out the beard and neck and an old man’s head is created.

This is the art of chainsaw carving, and Sandringham Sculpture Trail has many such woodcarvings to be discovered. Just inside the gateway to

55

Local Life

PICTURES: IAN WARD

originally located in secluded niches throughout the woods where they often presented surprising discoveries to ramblers.

However, they too have now been brought closer to the Visitors’ Centre and form part of the Sculpture Trail, making them more accessible for children and the less active visitor to enjoy.

There are numerous picnic tables and benches dotted around throughout the Arboreal Walk, with sculptures in every feasible clearing making them easy to find. Unfortunately, some are now showing signs of deterioration, succumbing to the enduring problems of rot and insect infestation to exterior wood-carvings, but they’re an imaginative addition to this peaceful area and a delight to all who love woodland.

56

Rugged wood-carvings of this nature are one of the few art forms that craftsmen rarely sign or distinguish with a title; much is left to the imagination.

Icarus landing upside down after his fall from the sky is immediately recognisable in one clearing as is Old Father Time with his scythe and timer in another corner.

Dotted around between the trees are sculptures of wildlife; an owl with a mouse at its feet, dancing dolphins and an Orangutan mother with long, strong arms wrapped around her baby. Further on, in a clearing among the trees, is a prancing pony exactly where you might expect to find him; then along another track is a wolf with head upturned as it howls to the moon.

Some of the sculptures aren’t so readily identifiable, however.

“What is it?” one couple was heard to ask of each other, before being ecstatically informed by their five-yearold son “It’s Gruffalo! It’s Gruffalo!”

Many sculptures portray characters from legends or children’s fiction that adults and children alike will recognise; a Wise Man holding a wizard’s wand next to characters from a Pacific Northwest legend of the raven and the bear.

To encourage the interest of children, Sandringham Estate runs a fun Sculpture Trail Quiz for young participants to name as many sculptures as they can and place their entry in a monthly prize draw for a £20 restaurant voucher.

Where did this art form start? The oldest records of chainsaw artists go back to the 1950s in the USA. During the 1960s/70s, artists around the world

grabbed the idea, until the craft really took off in the 1980s with the Lumberjack World Championships in Wisconsin that saw production companies starting to host chainsaw carving contests.

Over recent years chainsaw carving has become a fast-growing hobby, due in part to the efforts of Living Heritage – a company that’s specialised in promoting craft fairs throughout the country for over 20 years. These shows, featuring traditional countryside crafts and pursuits, habitually include a 30minute speed-carving competition – and visitors to the Sandringham Craft Shows will no doubt have seen demonstrations of these woodcarvers at work.

It’s this audience appreciation that has doubtless encouraged so many woodcarvers to exhibit their work here.

On any warm sunny day the Arboreal Walk is a pleasant place in which to stroll, with many meandering trails to explore and the discovery of these wood sculptures among the trees just adds to the fun.

For nature lovers it’s a peaceful spot in which to sit and maybe sketch, paint or simply reflect in a quiet woodland niche disturbed only by birdlife. The light through the trees is forever changing as early morning haze yields to the warmth of the sun and every track presents vistas to satisfy any photographer of wildlife.

But on a November afternoon when the sun dips behind the trees and the early evening mist begins to fall, the sculptures hide behind a veil and everything takes on an aura of mystery.

All is quiet and the roe deer and muntjac wait before venturing from their own living heritage.

It’s the perfect end to a walk in the woods.

KLmagazine November 2016

Taking your ideas...

...and bringing them to life!

How we work wonders in wood...

Handcrafting modern masterpieces of fine furniture ver the last 20 years, Bespoke Pine n Oak has built (quite literally!) a first-class reputation for craftsmanship of the very highest standards, creating truly individual and bespoke pieces of furniture in any size or shape to suit any room and any unusual space. Directors Kevin Berry and Carl Ingram like to say that if you can draw it, they can make it – and that’s a claim which can only be truly appreciated when you see examples of their work such as the recently-completed special commission featured here.

This incredible suite of bedroom furniture started life as a rough sketch by the customer (see image at top) and includes a breathtaking 8ft x 6ft wardrobe, a 7ft wide nine-drawer multi-chest, and two super-sized bedside cabinets (made specially to complement an oversized

O

bed) – all crafted in beautiful solid North American white oak. It’s a magnificent testament to the work of Bespoke Pine n Oak; finely-crafted furniture that’s completely individual, totally functional, and brimming with clever features and precise detailing.

But at Bespoke Pine n Oak there’s no secret to fabulous furniture.

Combine Kevin’s in-depth knowledge and experience of the timber trade with Carl’s widely-acclaimed cabinet-making skills, add the resources of an on-site workshop in the centre of King’s Lynn (where you can watch your ideas being brought to life) and you’ve got the perfect ingredients for modern masterpieces of furniture.

If you can draw it, Bespoke Pine n Oak really can make it – and they can make it exceed your wildest expectations.

information

Bespoke Pine n Oak Ltd 28 Tower Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1EJ Tel: 01553 766532 E-mail: info@bespokepinenoakltd.com

www.bespokepinenoakltd.com

Bespoke Pine n Oak: if you can draw it – we can make it!

KLmagazine November 2016

57

SURFACE DESIGN

STONE • PORCELAIN • MOSAIC

Extraordinary tiles

Up to 20% off* Your first purchase of ALL Wall and Floor Tiles including Outdoor Paving BURNHAM SHOWROOM 55 Townhouse, Market Place, Burnham Market PE31 8HD Tel: 01328 738304 | e: kellie.pearce@foras.co.uk

STOWBRIDGE SHOWROOM (Nr. King’s Lynn) West Head Farm, King's Lynn PE34 3NJ Tel: 01366 381069 | e: info@foras.co.uk

*Offer valid up to 12th December or while stocks last. Terms and conditions apply, see our website for full details.

Website: www.foraswallsandfloors.co.uk - Tiles & Stone

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Beautiful Christmas decor that will turn your home into a festive wonderland

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KLmagazine November 2016

Metric Carpets

THE BEST OF BRITISH – FOR OVER 40 YEARS!

Why bargain carpets are no real bargain at all...

And why you’ll always get a genuinely great deal at Metric Carpets o one disputes the value of a great deal, but there’s a very good reason why some deals seem to be too good to be true.

“I see unrealistic discounts all the time and I’ve even seen carpets advertised at 110% off!” says Alistair Allen of Metric Carpets, who’s now been fitting carpets for over 30 years. “If you’ll excuse the pun, I think people are having the wool pulled over their eyes and are actually paying more for their flooring by settling for less.”

Metric Carpets – founded by Alistair’s father in 1973 – has always emphasised the quality of both its products and service, and has built a well-deserved reputation that’s never had to rely on gimmicks.

“An offer of free underlay may sound attractive, but you’ll often find the cost is hidden in the price of the carpet itself,” says Alistair. “Even worse, that ‘free’ underlay can be of such poor quality that it can actually end up damaging your carpet.”

It’s a similar story when it comes to

N

KLmagazine November 2016

having your new carpet fitted.

“There’s no such thing as ‘free’ fitting because no carpet fitter is ever going to work for free!” says Alistair. “When your wonderful new carpet arrives in your home, cutting corners on the fitting – or having them cut for you – can be a terrible and costly mistake.”

At Metric Carpets, all Alistair’s fitters work for the company and share the company’s belief in providing a service that matches (and exceeds) the quality of the carpets themselves. They’re fully qualified and have all the necessary suppliers’ certifications, which is an important point in itself.

“Certain carpet and flooring manufacturers require the use of specific adhesives and underlays,” says Alistair. “Relying on ‘free’ fitting may mean the people coming into your home don’t actually have the required knowledge to fit your carpet correctly – which can invalidate your warranty at best and ruin your carpet at worst.”

Doing everything possible to ensure

you and your family will enjoy your new floors for years to come is just one of the reasons why many of Alistair’s customers are still returning to him more than 20 years after they first discovered the benefits of choosing a local, independent carpet service.

Benefits that include a fabulous choice of quality carpets and flooring, many years of experience, a service that’s second to none, and a team of fitters always prepared to go the extra mile.

Now that really is a great deal!

information

36 Norfolk Street, King’s Lynn PE30 1AH Tel: 01553 775203 Web: www.metriccarpets.co.uk E-mail: info@metriccarpets.co.uk

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fashion Fashion

At this time of year, considerations of style often have to take second Waterproofs/ place to more mundane Coats concerns such as keeping warm – but happily there’s no reason why you can’t have the best of both worlds. Here’s a few of our favourite ways of looking great this winter thanks to the best of our local boutiques...

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Coat by Marc Aurel SHEILA TILLER | Long Sutton 01406 363433 KLmagazine November 2016

Ghillie Superlight Coat in Forest Green by Schoffel (£329.95) LINGS COUNTRY GOODS | Great Massingham 01485 520828 KLmagazine November 2016

61

Fashion

The Brianna Riding Jacket by Horseware of Ireland THE HAYLOFT at BEARTS | Stowbridge 01366 388151 62

KLmagazine November 2016

NEW FOR NOVE MBER! at the

TEL: 01366 388151 | Brighton Mill, Stow Bridge, King’s Lynn PE34 3PD | WEB: www.bearts.co.uk

Sheila Tiller EXCLUSIVE LADIES FASHION & SHOES EST. 1978

Stockists of Contemporary Fashions, Handbags, Shoes, Accessories & Lingerie Fashions: 13 Market Place, Long Sutton | Tel: 01406 363 433

Shoes: 7 Market Place, Long Sutton | Tel: 01406 364 128

Closed all day Wednesday | www.sheilatiller.co.uk

KLmagazine November 2016

63

Fashion

Nadine Trench Coat by Happy Rainy Days CINDYS | Sutton Bridge 01406 350961 64

KLmagazine November 2016

Winter Wedding or cosy knits

Beautiful choices await

New to u this seas s o Michaela n Louis

a

tel: 01553 631915 web: www.allezchic.co.uk open: Monday to Saturday 10am-4.30pm The Old School, Castle Rising, King's Lynn PE31 6AG

Lings Country Goods for all your country pursuits

Join Cindy and her team to celebrate the latest Frank Lyman Design Autumn/Winter 2016 collection Thursday 3rd November from 10am - 5pm Meet the stylist from Frank Lyman and get the latest style tips and advice on how to wear the latest trends.

Wide range of top brand country clothing • BARBOUR • DUBARRY • MUSTO • SCHÖFFEL • LE CHAMEAU • CHRYSALIS TOGGI • HUCKLECOTE • DEERHUNTER • SEELAND • HARKILA • ZOO Also stocking guns, ammunition & shooting accessories

Morton ATV

all terrain and utility terrain vehicles Heath Farm, Great Massingham PE32 2HJ www.lingscountrygoods.co.uk www.mortonatv.com | Tel: 01485 520828

KLmagazine November 2016

Cindy’s

Fashion Quiz at 12.30, goody bags and much more.

Join us at:

Cindy's, 108 Bridge Road, Sutton Bridge PE12 9SA tel: 01406 350961

of Sutton Bridge

ww w.c ind ys fash ions .c o.u k

Find us on

Facebook

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Fashion

Autograph Coat (£169) by Marks & Spencer QUEENSGATE SHOPPING CENTRE | Peterborough 01733 311666 66

KLmagazine November 2016

One of the many stunning and exclusive jewellery collections now available at

125 Norfolk Street, Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lynn PE30 1AP tel: 01553 770536 web: www.davidaukerjewellery.co.uk

KLmagazine November 2016

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Fashion

Coat by Revermile (£135) ALLEZ CHIC | Castle Rising 01553 631915 68

KLmagazine November 2016

KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

Food & Drink

ABOVE: Roasted squid with a cucumber and tomato dressing and beautifully fresh scallops (opposite) are just two of the mouthwatering ideas from Melton Constable based Big Prawn Co – a local company with an international reputation for quality

The company taking seafood to new heights There’s a lot more to Norfolk’s seafood offering than Cromer crabs, and one local company is putting the county on the global map for truly outstanding quality and fabulously innovative tastes

D

ue to its location, Norfolk has always had a close relationship with the sea, and it’s only natural that it should be reflected in its locally-produced food offering.

However, few people know that the county is home to the largest seafood briner and the largest crayfish supplier in the UK – and a company with an international reputation for outstanding tastes and quality.

Founded over 20 years ago, the Big Prawn Company Limited excels in creating award-winning seafood products at its facilities in Melton Constable, Norfolk. A major investment programme in new product development with an in-house chef as

KLmagazine November 2016

well as leading processing and packaging techniques has enabled the company to diversify into innovative new products as well as additional fish and shellfish species.

The Company now supplies a broad range of supermarket own label and branded products, ranging from packs of prawns and crayfish to single-serve seafood snacking and fresh and frozen ready-to-eat or ready-to-cook dishes.

Big Prawn Co remains focused on providing a diverse customer base which includes supermarkets, convenience stores and wholesalers, as well as food service customers – and its success is testament to the company’s emphasis on quality, agility and innovation. All of Big Prawn Co’s

products are sustainably sourced from well-managed, quality-checked farms and fisheries, and can be traced back to either the boat or farm from which they originated.

The company operates from a wellinvested facility which currently runs five production lines and employs around 90 people. Additional capacity and flexibility is currently provided through two rented units close to the main factory, although detailed plans are now being implemented to accelerate the further expansion of the Melton Constable site in response to unprecedented demand for its products during the last year. Big Prawn Co now processes and supplies up to 400,000 packs per week of high quality seafood.

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Food & Drink

Over the last four years, capitalising on a record of forging and developing relationships with customers and suppliers, the team has grown sales by an average in excess of 18% per year. In addition, the systems and processes in Big Prawn Co have been developed to improve operational efficiency and secure the future of the business for years to come, and the forwardthinking management team sees a great opportunity to lead the business through its next phase of growth, driven by continuing to offer customers the finest shellfish and seafood available. Big Prawn Co procures its products via global sourcing arrangements with suppliers engaged in both the aquaculture and wild capture of seafood.

From Canada to Indonesia, the company has a global network of over 25 trusted seafood suppliers from

72

sustainable farms and fisheries with full traceability and certification. Indeed, the strength and durability of the Company’s supply arrangements enables it to deliver high-quality products throughout the year – which has allowed Big Prawn Co to secure and develop relationships with retailers of a scale normally only associated with larger suppliers.

In fact, Big Prawn Co’s sourcing strategy has been crucial to its success.

An ability to procure high quality seafood products year-round has been key to market share capture, giving retailers the confidence to meet consumer demand and strengthening their relationship with the company.

The management works to ensure continuity of supply by maintaining relationships with select suppliers for each product across different regions, and this approach has meant that the

Big Prawn Co has never experienced a significant disruption to supplies.

All Big Prawn Co products are from reputable, well regarded and traceable sources. This sustainable and ethical approach to sourcing ensures the company only works with producers demonstrating the highest standards of integrity, and a key part of Big Prawn Co’s appraisal when taking on new suppliers is ensuring compliance with these key points.

A particularly good (and typically responsible) example of Big Prawn Co’s high quality sourcing and processing approach is its import of crayfish. The company is now the largest importer of crayfish into the UK, procuring over 500 tonnes every year and only from sites with full traceability and full British Retail Consortium certification. For its overseas partners, Big Prawn Co provides access to the UK retail market without requiring each supplier to establish a physical UK presence. Via these strong relationships, Big Prawn Co has assurance that suppliers will meet UK-specific quality, ethical and regulatory standards.

It’s an approach that’s seen the company win a host of awards over the years – from the Best Retail Product at the 2013 European Seafood Show Prix d’Elite to being judged one of the Companies to Inspire Britain by the London Stock Exchange last year.

Fabulous food that tastes every bit as good as it looks – and a refreshingly responsible approach to its production – the Big Prawn Co is continuing Norfolk’s reputation for excellent seafood. And the future looks very bright indeed.

KLmagazine November 2016

THAI ROYALE KIN G’S LYN N

Now stockists of Yare Valley Oils As seen at North Norfolk Food Festival, at Holkham Hall

seaf

Traditional Thai Restaurant & Takeaway oodwe

ek.co.uk

Why not try a delicious, warming fish stew with local fish this Bonfire Night!

ISTM AS ORD ERS NOW BEIN G TAK EN FOR CHR

Fresh Brancaster mussels Local oysters & shellfish Jumbo raw prawns Fresh and smoked fish Free range eggs & local honey

Plus!

Deli counter with quality local cheeses

Gluten-free & vegetarian dishes available Free delivery within 3 miles (minimum order £15) 10% discount on collected orders

Reservations & takeaway orders: 01553 760299 Open: Tue to Sun 5pm-10pm

DONALDSONS A fresh taste of the sea

Austin Fields, King’s Lynn | Tel: 01553 772241 OPEN: Tues/Wed/Thurs 7am-4pm, Fri 7am-5pm, Sat 7am-3pm

77 LYNN ROAD, GAYWOOD, KING’S LYNN PE30 4PR

FESTIVE FRIDAY

£25

Christmas Party Nights 3 course dinner & disco 9 December 16 December Rooms from only £69 B&B

Christmas Menu 1 Nov-18 Dec, 12-9pm All group sizes welcome

Old Hunstanton Road, Old Hunstanton, Norfolk PE36 6HH t: 01485 533486 e: mail@caleyhallhotel.co.uk www.caleyhallhotel.co.uk

KLmagazine November 2016

73

K

NOW

Best Western Plus

Knights Hill Hotel & Spa South Wootton, King’s Lynn, PE30 3HQ T 01553 675566 E conference@knightshill.co.uk

Christmas Party Nights Limited space available on our very popular party nights 2nd December £38.00 per person 15th, 22nd December £35.00 per person 7th January 2017 £32.00 per person Includes 3 course festive menu and disco

TAKING

XMAS bookings

Visit us or call for menu

01553 775668

New Year’s Eve Party Celebrate the New Year in style with our New Year’s eve party in the barn.

3 course dinner and disco £65.00 per person

For more details visit www.abacushotels.co.uk for a copy of our Christmas brochure

Main Tel: 01553 775 668 Ë Ample Parking 4AQ Ro ad , C 34 lenchwarton, King’s Lynn PE Main Rd, Clenchwarton, King’s Lynn PE34 4AQ | Ample Parking

Christmas AT

the Feathers

A traditional countr y inn, next door to Royal Sandringham Celebrate Christmas at Swaffham’s Double Award Winning Inn. Now taking bookings for;

FE STIVE M E A LS C HRIST M A S PA RTY N IGH TS C HRISTM A S DAY LU N C H NEW Y E A R ’S E VE DIN N E R

S NOW TAKING BOOKING

F OR XMAS DAY & NEW YE

AR’S EVE

A lovely 17th century Coaching Inn with a relaxed atmosphere.

Call 01760 723 244 to book.

Call to book your place: 01485 540768 21 Market Place, Swaffham PE37 7LA www.kingsarmscoachinginn.co.uk

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71 Manor Road, Dersingham PE31 6LN www.feathersdersingham.com

KLmagazine November 2016

Food & Drink

Smoked salmon and salmon roulade served with a cucumber, crayfish pea shoot salad with a lemon and dill crème fraiche INGREDIENTS 200g cooked salmon 100g sliced smoked salmon 4 tbsp crème fraiche 1 lemon, zested and juiced Fresh chopped chive and dill 1 gelatine sheet 1 tbsp Pernod TO SERVE Cooked crayfish tails diced cucumber fresh pea shoots or fresh salad leaves

METHOD 1 Soak the gelatine in cold water until soft.

2 Warm the lemon juice and Pernod in a small pan.

3 Drain water from the softened gelatine sheets and add to warm lemon juice and Pernod mix until dissolved.

4 Mix 2 tbsp of crème fraiche with chopped dill and a little squeeze of lemon juice.

5 Flake the cooked salmon into a mixing bowl and add the lemon zest and chives.

Add the crème fraiche mixture followed by the Pernod mixture and combine.

6 Lay out 3x50cm sheets of cling film on top of each other.

7 Lay the smoked salmon onto the cling film in a 30x15cm rectangle and spoon over the salmon mixture.

8 Starting with one of the long sides of cling film, lift and pull over the salmon and roll into a sausage shape then pull the cling film tight and tie at each end. Place in fridge to set for a couple of hours.

9 Serve sliced and decorated as shown.

Recipe by Luke Bell Second Chef, Garden Brasserie Knights Hill Hotel & Spa South Wootton, King’s Lynn PE30 3HQ Tel: 01553 675566 Web: www.abacushotels.co.uk

KLmagazine November 2016

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FESTIVE MENU 3 courses ÂŁ28.95

Available for lunch and dinner, Monday to Friday from the 1st December until 23rd December 2016.

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01485 512229 | www.chequersinnthornham.com info@chequersinnthornham.com | High Street, Thornham, Norfolk PE36 6LY

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Great Grove Poultry is a traditional family-run farm based in Attleborough. The Turkeys and Geese are free to roam around the many acres of Norfolk woodland, creating a stress-free environment resulting in a superior quality bird with natural gamey flavours.

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Van Pelt Butchers can offer you everything you need for the perfect Christmas dinner!

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Christmas Hamper 10lb Great Grove Turkey 3lb Piece of Gammon 3lb Piece of Pork 3lb Piece of Roasting Beef 1lb Sausage Meat 1lb Chipolatas 1lb Streaky Bacon 1lb Pork Pie Dozen Free Range Eggs Sage Onion Stuffing Mix Jar of Cranberry Sauce

All of this great produce for just

ÂŁ100!

Find us: 108 Norfolk St, King's Lynn PE30 1AQ | Tel: 01553 773536 | Email: anthony.barton@ymail.com 76

KLmagazine November 2016

Food & Drink

Herb crust lamb rump INGREDIENTS 4 rumps of lamb, 250-300g each 100g bread crumbs 1/2 bunch of chopped parsley 1 tbsp dijon mustard 1kg charlotte potatoes 300g cold butter, cut into cubes 100ml warm milk 6 beetroots, unpeeled 6 tbsp olive oil 300g green beans , trimmed

METHOD 1 Trim excess fat from the top layer of lamb, leaving a little on for cooking. Score the top in a criss-cross pattern using a sharp knife then season well. Heat a heavy based non-stick pan until very hot, add 2 tbsp of oil, then place lamb fat-side down. Sear?well and turn on all four sides until nicely browned all over (about 4 mins) then remove from pan.

2 Place the lamb on a tray spread mustard on top side and dip in to the bread and herb mix. Roast in the oven for 15-20 mins until cooked to medium, then let the meat rest for 5 mins.

3 Peel the potatoes and cut them in to quarters, rinse them with cold water. Place potato in to the pot add water, salt and bring it to the boil, then lower the heat to a simmer until soft. Drain the potatoes, then place them back in the pan.

Shake the pan over a gentle heat to get rid of any remaining water. Push the potatoes through a fine-meshed ricer for a silky, light texture add warm milk and more salt for flavour if needed and mix.

KLmagazine November 2016

4 Preheat the oven to 180°c drizzle the beetroot with olive oil and place them in a medium-sized roasting tray, then place into oven.

5 Roast for an hour and a half, until the beetroot feels tender. Peel and slice the cooked beetroot and put to one side.

6 Simmer the green beans for 4 min in salted water 7 To serve, spoon a portion of potato onto each plate. Arrange wedges of beetroot around mash, place green beans on top of mash. Slice the lamb and lay on top of mash and beans then drizzle with any meat juices reduced earlier with red wine. Top each piece of lamb with some more dice herbs.

Recipe by Palmers Ale House & Kitchen 46 Market Place, Long Sutton PE12 9JF Tel: 01406 365554 Web: www.palmerslongsutton.co.uk 77

WISHING YOU ALL A

The

Coach & Horses Dersingham

AT HOPPERS YARD THIS CHRISTMAS

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• Delicious home cooked food • Three en-suite letting bedrooms E A T, D R I N K A N D B E M E R R Y !

www.thecoachpub.com | 01485 540391 77 Manor Road, Dersingham, King’s Lynn PE31 6LN

FOR STUNNING KITCHENS AND BEDROOMS

Bexwell Kitchens

53 3-2016 196 53 YEARS OF BEAUTIFUL KITCHENS

78

Open Mon-Sat 9-5 Sun 2-4 KLmagazine November 2016

Food & Drink

INGREDIENTS 260g dark brown soft sugar 3 large eggs 225ml sunflower oil 375g pink lady apples, peeled, cored and coarsely grated 300g self-raising flour 4 1/2 tsp mixed spice 1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 75g ground almonds 35g rolled oats 150g sultanas Zest of 1 orange For the syrup 100g dark brown soft sugar Juice of 1 orange 1 1/2 tbsp water For the icing 250g butter, softened 500g icing sugar 2 tbsp milk 100g white chocolate, melted For the filling Juice of 1 orange 3 pink lady apples 25g butter 50g dark brown soft sugar 1 tbsp golden syrup 200ml water KLmagazine November 2016

Toffee apple cake METHOD 1 Preheat oven to 180°c. Line 2 x 9” round cake tins with baking parchment.

balls using a melon baller. In a saucepan, combine remaining ingredients and heat until boiling, then add the apple balls.

2 Place the sugar and eggs in mixing bowl.

Whisk together using electric mixer until glossy and light in colour, then pour in the sunflower oil while continuing to whisk.

7 Leave on a low heat until a syrup starts to form. Remove and allow to cool.

3 Stir in the grated apple, then fold in remaining ingredients. Then divide mixture into the tins and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden, and the sponge springs back when pressed lightly.

4 For the syrup, stir all syrup ingredients together in a saucepan on a low heat.

5 When the cakes are cooked, prick holes over the surface of the cake and drizzle over syrup. Leave the cakes to cool.

6 For the filling, peel the apples and cut into

8 For the icing, cream together the butter and icing sugar. Add the milk and melted chocolate, and combine.

9 Pipe half of the butter icing on bottom sponge, then scatter the cooked apples and syrup over the icing.

10 Add the top layer of sponge and decorate with remaining icing.

Recipe by The Folly Tearoom 4 Hopper’s Yard, Bull Street, Holt NR25 6LN Tel: 01263 713569 Web: www.follytearoom.co.uk 79

The

Gate Inn

at Fair Green

NOW TA KING BO O KINGS F O R CH R IST MA S View menus online QUIZ NIGHTS EVERY OTHER TUESDAY!

• FRIENDLY BAR SERVING REAL ALES & FINE WINES • COUNTRY GARDEN • DOG & FAMILY FRIENDLY • CLASSIC PUB FOOD • LOCAL, SEASONAL PRODUCE

Hill Road, Fair Green, Middleton, PE32 1RW | Tel: 01553 840518

www.thegatemiddleton.co.uk

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KLmagazine November 2016

Food & Drink

RestaurantReview A KL magazine reader enjoys a taste of the Mulberry restaurant at Heacham Manor Hotel...

H

eacham Manor is a grand country manor hotel nestled within an 18-hole golf course and spa, and the setting is as magnificent as the building itself, with a grand gated entrance, a long picturesque driveway and a beautiful Elizabethan manor house, lovingly restored and refurbished in 2009 by the Searle family.

The Mulberry is Heacham Manor’s award-winning restaurant and is open to non-residents as well as hotel guests.

We’d booked a table on a Thursday evening and on arrival it was every bit I hoped for – and more. While the setting naturally adds a very special touch to the occasion, the décor and atmosphere feels distinctly homely, which relaxed us and made us feel very comfortable. The staff achieved the same careful balance too, professionally treating guests with total respect and service but managing to be very friendly and welcoming at the same time.

We were shown through to a large conservatory where all the tables were beautifully set out. The high-backed booth-style chairs are cleverly positioned in the centre of the room, creating a feeling of dining privacy without losing the atmosphere provided by other diners.

We were given an extensive wine list and a mouthwatering menu consisting of a choice of seven starters and eight main dishes. For starters, we chose the panfried rare pigeon breast with pea puree,

KLmagazine November 2016

smoked bacon, pea shoots and liquorice jus; and the goats cheese and beetroot salad with toasted walnuts and a balsamic dressing.

They arrived beautifully presented and were so delicious we actually shared half each! The roast pigeon was exquisitely tender, melting in your mouth and offset perfectly by the smokiness of the bacon and the sharpness of the liquorice jus.

The same balance of flavours was achieved by the goats cheese dish – the sharp beetroot, sweet balsamic and tangy goats cheese offering a delightfully tasty combination. Cleverly created, both dishes were great ways to whet our appetites.

For the mains we chose roast duck breast with celeriac puree, rosti potato, tender stem broccoli, roast shallot and blackberry jus; and the pan-fried seabass, served with spring onion, crushed new potatoes, wilted spinach, dashi and cockle sauce. Happily, the mains managed to surpass the high standards of the starters, the duck dish being particularly spectacular!

It’s easy to understand why the Mulberry is an award-winning restaurant and boasts an AA Rosette. I’ve never had potato rosti before, but the thin crispy potato strips tasted divine and matched the texture of the succulent duck perfectly. Meanwhile, the seabass was also cooked to perfection, falling away from the skin and working very well with the new potato crush – and leaving the potato skins in the latter was a wonderful

touch which added plenty of texture to a really successful dish.

You can’t enjoy a meal this much and decide against desserts, so we ordered a cheese board with Norfolk Mardler, Irish Porter and Cambridgeshire Blue with grapes and chutney – and the unexpected delight of a homemade peanut brittle. I’d never seen this on a cheese board before, but it was an excellent complement to the blue cheese. Our other dessert was a red wine poached pear with a milk chocolate mousse and homemade honeycomb.

Again, we chose this dish as it’s one we’d never seen on a menu before, and it was well worth discovering – packed with fresh flavours and a wonderful way to end a truly memorable meal.

Our bill came to £82.85 – for two three-course meals and a bottle of wine, which we thought was very fair for food that was every bit as impressive as the grand setting.

We can’t wait to go back!

FOOD

10

SERVICE

10

VALUE

9

Heacham Manor Hotel Hunstanton Road, Heacham PE31 7JX Telephone: 01485 536030 Website: www.heacham-manor.co.uk

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KLmagazine November 2016

Food & Drink

Grilled Monkfish and chard tagine with a simple fennel salad INGREDIENTS 2 pieces of Monkfish, about 6-8oz each 2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed ½ cinnamon stick A small onion, finely sliced A generous pinch of red chilli flakes Half a dozen olives, chopped A pinch of dried Oregano ½ tsp Garam Masala Small handful of coriander, chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed A few strands of saffron ½ lemon, chopped ½ bunch of Chard 14oz can chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp yoghurt (optional) ½ tsp harissa (optional) Preparation: 5 minutes Cooking: 35 minutes Serves: 2

KLmagazine November 2016

METHOD 1 Pre-heat the grill, and in your widest pan with a lid, heat a slug of olive oil over a medium heat with the cinnamon stick and half the coriander seeds.

2 Cut about a half inch from the monkfish, and roughly chop the end of the fish, setting the big piece aside. Add the chopped fish to the pan, along with the onion, chilli flakes and olives. Put a lid on and stir every now and again while you prepare the fish fillets.

3 Put the fillets in the smallest ovenproof dish you can. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter with a pinch of oregano and garam masala, the remaining coriander seeds, salt and pepper. Give them a little shake to get them coated, add the garlic and put under the grill. They’ll take about 15 minutes, and will need turning once or twice during cooking. If they’re ready before the rest of the meal, turn the grill off and cover with foil until needed.

4 Once the fish is under the grill, add the tomatoes, garam masala, preserved lemon and saffron to the tagine. Chop the chard stalks into ¼” slices and add them too. A few minutes before the fish is ready, shred the chard leaves and add them to the tagine, along with the coriander.

5 Serve the fish sitting atop the tagine along with some simple couscous and a salad (see below). If you’re making the yoghurt harissa, simply mix the two together and add a little salt. A dollop on top adds a nice bit of spicy creaminess.

FOR THE SALAD...

Shred a medium-sized fennel bulb and roughly chop a small handful of coriander. Mix together with the juice of half a lemon and about the same amount of olive oil. Season well and let it sit for about five minutes to allow the flavours to combine.

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KLmagazine November 2016

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“In many ways, stone floors are their own worst enemy, and over time traditional cleaning methods and chemicals become largely ineffective,” says XtraClean’s Martin King.

“Thankfully, our revolutionary floor cleaning system can bring even heavily-soiled stone floors, tiles and even the grout between them back to life. All in a single visit too!”

Martin founded XtraClean in 1993, and the Swaffham-based company

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Following an initial survey and the testing of a sample area, Martin and his team will get to work on your floors (whether indoors or outside) and they’ll even move the furniture for you!

Breaking down ingrained dirt and loosening surface soiling, XtraClean’s state-of-the-art turbocleaning capture system then thoroughly pressure cleans the floor, capturing waste in the process. The results are truly spectacular, and the system avoids the need for invasive procedures such as

grinding and resurfacing.

“We use the most advanced technology currently available and the most professional products on the market,” says Martin. “The results really do speak for themselves, and our customers are left with floors that don’t just look amazing – they’re safer and healthier too.”

Once restored to their former glory, XtraClean can even professionally seal your floors to protect the good looks for longer, and highly-honed stone floors can be re-polished and buffed if required.

Contact Martin and his local-based team today for an extra-professional service and give your floors the as-new look they really deserve!

Xtraclean Unit 3, Jack Boddy Way, Swaffham PE37 7HJ Tel: 01760 337762 Web: www.xtraclean.co.uk E-mail: sales@xtraclean.co.uk

KLmagazine November 2016

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Education

ABOVE: The new University Centre West Anglia, based in the grounds of CWA’s Tennyson Avenue campus in King’s Lynn is currently the only higher education teaching and learning facility within 35 miles of the town.

Higher Education in Norfolk is changing...

In September, a new intake of students stepped through the doors of University Centre West Anglia in King’s Lynn, heralding a new era in higher education – and a world of opportunities.

I

t’s now easier than ever before to study a degree on your doorstep.

Higher education isn’t just for school leavers and King’s Lynn’s brand new University Centre West Anglia is your chance to study a degree whilst staying at home.

University Centre West Anglia (UcWA) opened its doors to a new intake of students in September, and it’s the only higher education teaching and learning facility currently available within a 35 mile radius of King’s Lynn.

Brand new for 2016, the centre is delivering degree programmes accredited by Anglia Ruskin University across a range of subjects including

86

history, English, business management, childcare, and computer science.

At 2,000m², the building (found in the grounds of CWA’s Tennyson Avenue campus) is solely for higher education students and houses full and part-time education and training. It has 14 digitally enhanced classrooms, a 120seat multimedia lecture theatre, offices, and a large ground-floor social space which includes a kitchen area for the exclusive use of those studying in the building.

“The addition of this University Centre to the college’s facilities is a great step forward for education in West Norfolk,” says Principal David

KLmagazine November 2016

I wanted to stay close to home and to study a course with an element of practice-based learning. UcWA is a great way of getting a degree without the added cost of moving away and unsettling jobs or other commitments...

– Samantha Broughton

College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).

This is celebrated during graduation, when graduates make their RCVS declaration in front of family and friends, staff and industry representatives.

Pomfret. “This has been made possible thanks to the support of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership and the West Norfolk Partnership. I’m thrilled we’re now going to be able to offer a considerably greater range of degree level courses, and I’m confident that the new facilities will inspire people in the surrounding area and beyond to push themselves to take that next step in their education – developing their skills and supporting the prosperity of local businesses.”

Samantha Broughton (20) lives in King’s Lynn and is studying a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Professional Studies.

Once she completes her degree at UcWA, she’s planning to study teacher training, specialising in early years and key stage one.

“I wanted to stay close to home and study a course with an element of practice-based learning,” she says.

“UcWA is a great way of getting a degree without the added cost of moving away and unsettling jobs or other commitments. The support I receive from course tutors is more personal and less time-restricted than it would be in course sizes of over 200

KLmagazine November 2016

students, like it is at most large universities. I feel sure that I wouldn’t be gaining the good marks I am had I gone elsewhere.”

UcWA CAMBRIDGE PROVISION Aside from King’s Lynn based courses, veterinary nursing degrees are also available to study at CWA’s land-based campus in Milton, Cambridge. On completion of this degree, students gain full accreditation by the Royal

ACCESS COURSES Access courses are a great way to kickstart your career if you didn’t take the traditional educational routes post-16, or if you’re thinking of making a career change later in life. There are no formal entry requirements other than an interview.

UcWA offers Access courses in a variety of subjects, validated by the Cambridge Access Validating Agency (CAVA), which lead to a nationally recognised qualification for entry to university. Some of the pathways on offer include humanities and social sciences, professional leadership and people studies, science and nursing and computing.

Scarlet Demassi (20) studied beauty therapy at college, but after entering the world of work decided she hadn’t made the right career choice for her.

She’s now studying Access to Higher Education Business at UcWA. “I’m hoping to go to university to study law after finishing my Access course,” Scarlet says. “I had previously heard great things about Access courses but was amazed at the wide range of opportunities on offer in King’s Lynn. The staff are very supportive and it’s a welcoming

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Education I had previously heard great things about Access courses but was amazed at the wide range of opportunities on offer in King’s Lynn.

The staff are very supportive and it’s a welcoming environment to learn in...

– Scarlet Demassi

environment to learn in.”

Thanks to the provisions on offer at UcWA, many people in West Norfolk are now pursuing a career choice that they love.

GRADUATION Graduation is viewed as one of the most prestigious days of the year for the College of West Anglia and UcWA, with students from both Norfolk and Cambridgeshire receiving their degrees in front of a theatre full of family and friends.

Just a few weeks ago, over 150 students processed through the town centre of King’s Lynn, after graduating at the Alive Corn Exchange as the Class of 2016.

Rosanna Day (22) from March was named UcWA’s Student of the Year. She studied BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing with Applied Animal Behaviour at CWA’s Cambridge Campus, graduating with a well-deserved First Class Honours.

Rosanna was nominated by her lecturers for her “exemplary academic record across all four years of her study” and her involvement as lead

student ambassador for the QAA Higher Education Review.

“I wasn’t expecting to win Student of the Year at all!” she says. “I really enjoyed my course – we had some amazing lecturers in our final year and without them, my cohort wouldn’t have done half as well as we have. We were quite a small group, but at the end of the day we’re all such good friends now and we will all stay in touch.”

And the future looks very promising for Rosanna.

“I have already got a job at a veterinary hospital in King’s Lynn,” she says. “I might look at specialising

I really enjoyed my course – we had some amazing lecturers in our final year and without them, my cohort wouldn’t have done half as well as we have.

– Rosanna Day UcWA Student of the Year

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further down the line but at the moment I’m excited to get stuck in to my job, fully qualified.”

WHAT’S NEXT AT UcWA? Over the next year, University Centre West Anglia will be expanding its offer of degree courses for West Norfolk and Fenland. UcWA is planning to run courses in the following areas in 2017, subject to validation and demand: • Bioscience • Business Studies • Childhood Studies • Computer Science • Construction & Civil Engineering • Electrical & Mechanical Engineering • Humanities – English & History • Psychosocial Studies • Teacher Training • Tourism Management • Veterinary Nursing For more details, visit the CWA website at cwa.ac.uk/degrees to see the full range of degrees and Access courses on offer at UcWA and to find out more about new courses as they arrive.

KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

Local Life

ABOVE: The serene setting of St. Benet’s Abbey and the monumental ruins of Binham Priory (opposite) are two of the historic sites receiving loving care and attention from the Norfolk Archaeological Trust

Caring for the past in the interests of the future...

Norfolk has some of the most important and beautiful historic sites in the country, and their preservation is in very safe hands. Richard Parr looks at the work of the Norfolk Archaeological Trust.

F

or the past 90 years the Norfolk Archaeological Trust has cared for and maintained some of the county’s most important ancient sites, buildings and landscapes. A registered charity, the Trust is still the only county trust in England dedicated to the conservation of archaeological sites through purchase and good management.

The aim of the Trust has always been to acquire selected sites which would benefit from sympathetic ownership and to make them open and accessible for people to enjoy. Founded in 1923, it has considerable experience in caring for and conserving historic properties, being sensitive to their landscape

KLmagazine November 2016

settings and the need of wildlife conservation.

Throughout its operations the Trust works closely with Natural England, English Heritage, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, the Broads Authority, and other local authorities and statutory bodies. It believes in a holistic approach to conservation, balancing the needs of visitors, wildlife and archaeological research.

The work of the Norfolk Archaeological Trust has moved at a faster pace since 1964, when it acquired a significant part of the Roman town of Venta Icenorum at Caistor St Edmund. Since then, the Trust has purchased many other important and fascinating Norfolk sites

to preserve and maintain them for future generations.

These properties include two of the county’s most iconic sites – the great Roman fort at Burgh Castle and the medieval abbey of St Benet’s.

The Trust believes that archaeology is for everyone, and it places great importance in ensuring the sites are open to the public free of charge. At each of the sites, great effort has been made to improve access and providing information for everyone.

Some of the sites acquired by the Trust have been damaged by erosion and by ploughing over the years, but it aims to make these sites safe for future generations with the help of active conservation programmes and sensitive

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Local Life

repair. Many of the monuments in the Trust’s care are also important wildlife habitats.

When it was founded in 1923, the Trust had a wide range of stated interests and objectives, and the founders included prominent local figures known for their knowledge and expertise in this specialist field of archaeology – including E.M. Beloe, Leonard Bolingbroke, W.G Clarke, H.L. Bradfer-Lawrence, Basil Cozens-Hardy and Duleep Singh.

Their joint intention was to promote field surveys, to organise excavations and research, and to record and preserve archaeological sites and finds.

In those early days the Trust was empowered to acquire or lease sites and buildings and to acquire artefacts that it could repair for the public – the acquisition and management of historic properties was a key element of its mission.

In the early years of its existence, the Trust bought a number of historic buildings, including Bishop Bonner’s cottage in Dereham, the Greenland Fisheries building in King’s Lynn, the Great Hall in Oak Street, Norwich and part of the precinct of Binham Priory.

However, by the 1980s it became clear that many other specialist bodies – such as the Norfolk Historic Building Trust and the King’s Lynn Preservation Society – were also active in this field and doing excellent work.

Now, historic buildings are protected

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through the planning system in a way that the Trust’s founder members would hardly have been able to imagine in the 1920s.

However, the possible benefits from preserving fragile sites and unique historic landscapes by purchase were very evident, and the last years of the 20th century saw an important change in direction for the Trust.

The acquisition of 120 acres of the Venta Icenorum, the Roman town at Caistor St Edmund, was to prove a milestone. Some of this land was bequeathed to the Trust in 1984 and more land was purchased in 1992.

A site interpretation scheme was quickly put in hand and the site was formally opened in 2003.

Other purchases soon followed.

A mysterious and undated earthwork enclosure at Tasburgh was bought in 1994 and 90 acres of land at Burgh Castle (including the spectacular Roman Fort) in 1995.

By this time the new focus of the Trust’s work was well established An Interpret Britain Award for the site interpretation scheme at Caistor St Edmund acknowledged the quality of the Trust’s work and its growing expertise.

It was during the period 2002-04 the Trust purchased another two iconic monuments – the Abbey of St. Benet at Holme in the heart of the Norfolk Broads and the Iron Age fort at South Creake in North Norfolk. The property

at Binham Priory was also extended by the purchase of the great west gatehouse of the monastery.

In more recent years, the Trust acquired two further sensitive sites in North Norfolk – the gate house and precinct of Burnham Norton Friary and a prehistoric barrow at Fiddler’s Hill, between Binham and Warham.

The Trust continues to press ahead with ambitious schemes for promoting and improving public access to its properties. A major interpretation scheme at Binham Priory was opened in 2009, created in partnership with English Heritage and the Binham Parochial Church Council with financial assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Provision of a new car park, an allweather path and interpretation panels at Burgh Castle was made possible by generous funding from Natural England. A major access enhancement and interpretation project at St Benet’s Abbey, substantially funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, was completed in 2014. Last year, repairs to the walls at Caistor Roman Town were completed and a new interpretation panel installed.

Work also began on repairs to the precinct walls at Burnham Norton friary – both projects funded through Natural England.

For more information of the work of the Trust, please see the website at www.norfarchtrust.org.uk

KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

93

Local Life

PICTURE CAPTION: Xyxxyxyx xyxyx xyxyxy xyxyxyxyxyxyxyxyxyxy

Step back in time to the days of the Cold War...

It’s one of Norfolk’s most unusual and fascinating museums, documenting the county’s part in the defence of the country.

Richard Parr visits the RAF Air Defence Radar Museum at Neatishead

T

he Norfolk Broads are wellknown as one of the county’s biggest tourist attractions, and people love spending time messing about on boats as they cruise its network of inland waters. But located close to the Broads is one of Norfolk’s lesser-known and more unusual attractions.

The RAF Air Defence Radar Museum is located on the site of the former RAF radar control base at RAF Neatishead, and visitors arriving at this fascinating tourist attraction find themselves entering into what was once a very closely-guarded world shrouded in secrecy.

The sign at the main gate reads “It’s

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bigger than you think!” and despite first impressions it soon becomes apparent that this is no idle boast. This is no small museum, and its trail of room after room of exhibits unlocks the once highly-secretive world of RAF Air Defence Radar. Many of the exhibits are hands-on and visitors have an opportunity to experience life as a Fighter Controller or sit in the cockpit of a Jaguar aircraft.

Its centre-piece is the Cold War Operations Room, left exactly as it was when decommissioned in 1993, but there’s also a World War II room, which features a replica Operations Room from the days of the Battle of Britain.

But that’s only the beginning of this fascinating step-back in time. The

exhibition displays also illustrate the role of the Royal Observer Corps, there’s a fascinating showcase of Air Intelligence Photography, and a display devoted to Telecommunications.

At the end of the Museum are a number of rooms dedicated to nearby former RAF Coltishall where flying operations ceased in 2006.

The exhibitions are housed in buildings attached to the former RAF Neatishead site which was established in 1942 and had the original motto of “We watch over the sky.”

Visitors can either wander through the labyrinth of corridors and explore for themselves or choose to attend one of the presentations in the WWII Room or the Cold War Operations Rooms.

KLmagazine November 2016

KLmagazine November 2016

look around the whole museum,” she says. “We find that people come back time and time again, which is why we regularly update our displays – so that visitors can view things from a slightly different angle.”

Beth explains that the running costs of the museum – and its continued survival – are entirely covered by entrance fees and donations.

“The income from fees and donations is spent on operating costs and making improvements to the building (which is listed) as well as displays and acquiring new exhibits,” she says. “Without that, we couldn’t offer the enjoyable and educational experience we do.”

The RAF Air Defence Radar Museum can be found just north of the village of Horning in the heart of the Norfolk Broads. Air defence radar operations began at the site in 1942 and continue to this day, although operations ceased at the museum site itself in 2004.

Today, the museum is a registered charity and relies entirely on entrance fees and voluntary donations. It has been awarded Full Accreditation by the Arts Council, a Quality Assured Visitor Attraction by Visit England, and has won many other awards over the years for its outstanding customer service.

It really is a most welcoming place, from the volunteer entrance and shop staff, to the Cafe and the presenters – all of them volunteers. It is a remarkable place on many levels and well worth a visit.

PICTURES: RAF AIR DEFENCE RADAR MUSEUM

Volunteers are on hand throughout the museum and are happy to share their experiences of life at the site and of working with radar.

There are plenty of opportunities to touch and to get up close to the displays, and you can even have a go at writing backwards on the tote board.

The museum’s part-time curator is Beth Condie, and apart from her it’s run entirely by a team of enthusiastic volunteers, many of whom actually worked on the equipment showcased.

Visitors repeatedly speak of how knowledgeable the guides are and how they help make a visit to the Museum such an enjoyable and informative experience.

Miss Condie has been in her role for two years and says the museum attracts up to 7,000 visitors a year, an especially impressive number when you consider it’s only open two days a week. She explains that there’s a regular programme of activities and events aimed at attracting families and younger children because the museum has to appeal to the next generation – as well as those who like to reminisce about their service days.

“We consider ourselves unique in the equipment and exhibits that we have on display,” she says. “Many of our exhibits are one-of-a-kind, such as the F-type 14 Mobile Radar and of course our Cold War Operations Room. Most people are amazed at the end of their visit and didn’t realise there was so much to see – or just what radar and the site at Neatishead has contributed to the Defence of the UK.” With so much to see, Beth has some valuable advice for the visitor.

“There is a lot of information to take in and it takes at least three hours to

For opening times and admission prices, please see the museum’s website at www.radarmuseum.co.uk.

Its Facebook and Twitter pages are regularly updated and are worth checking for upcoming events.

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ABOVE: Chris Benefer with the family that inspired the creation of his new used car sales business in King’s Lynn. Despite being only three years old, his eldest daughter Sophie is already showing an interest in the motor trade.

The family that’s going the extra mile for you...

When Chris Benefer launched his new business earlier this year, his young daughters inspired him to take an approach that’s given local used car sales a refreshing and friendly new direction here’s no doubt that having children can be a life-changing experience, and it’s not just about all sleepless nights – it alters your perspectives and your priorities, and it can have a dramatic effect on the way you view your career.

For Chris Benefer, who’s spent over 20 years in the local motor trade, the arrival of his two daughters saw him reconsidering more than just his own future.

“My daughters may only be 1 and 3 years old at the moment, but I felt that instead of working for myself or for other people, I should be doing something for them,” he says. “I wanted

T

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to build a business that they’d be proud of and would want to play a part in one day.”

That desire (together with his wideranging motor trade experience) led Chris to open Benefers in King’s Lynn earlier this year, and though it may not be a family-run business in the strictest sense just yet, it’s certainly a familyminded one, one clearly founded on principles such as responsibility, reassurance and trust.

“I’ve spent a lot of time in the field of HGV sales, and I wanted to bring that culture to the used car market,” he says. “The most important elements in HGV sales are building confidence in

customers and developing good longterm relationships with them. And sadly, many used car operations tend to get that wrong.”

And despite having opened only a few months ago, Benefers has already started building a reputation for high quality service that’s matched only by the standards of the vehicles themselves.

At Benefers you’ll find over 60 cars in stock at any one time, ranging from smaller cars such as the Citroen C3 and VW Polo to luxury models and Range Rovers – in fact, there’s something for everyone and for every budget, and in the unlikely event you can’t find exactly

KLmagazine November 2016

what you’re looking for, Chris will happily source it for you. And that’s a promise he’s very confident of keeping.

“Whether you’re looking for a second family car or a first car for your children, Benefers can give you the vehicle that’s perfectly suited to your needs,” he says. “Our stock is changing daily, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on our website which is updated immediately when any vehicles are sold and when new ones arrive.”

At Benefers quality is paramount, with every single car reaching the forecourt only after successfully passing through the workshop’s rigorous attention to detail and thorough safety checks – a commitment to high standards that’s reflected in Benefers’ commercial vans, all of which are 1-owner vehicles with a full service history.

“I’ve always believed it’s important to go above and beyond the basics when it comes to selling cars,” says Chris. “It’s very easy to sell something to someone once, but it takes something extra for them to return to you again and again.

And that’s what Benefers is all about.”

Going above and beyond means that every vehicle comes with a 15-month warranty that’s not only the best in the area – it’s been described as the best in

the UK, and includes comprehensive parts, labour and VAT cover; a straightforward (and fast payment) claims process; professional recovery services; and access to a nationwide repair network.

“It’s perfect for young people at university or people working away from home as it gives them an extra layer of reassurance and security,” says Chris.

“We may be based in King’s Lynn, but our warranty means that wherever your car takes you in the country we’ll be on your side to help when you need us.

Now and for years to come.”

Indeed, that sense of being here for the long term is fundamental to Benefers – and it’s already bearing fruit in the younger generation.

“My 3-year-old daughter Sophie already loves being here and playing her own little part in the business,” says Chris. “In fact, she’s already sold her first car, so you could say that this family run-business is literally already up and running!”

For a new approach to used car sales, one that puts you and your family first, discover the difference at Benefers and say hello to the team that’s always prepared to go the extra mile.

“Whether you're looking for a second family car or a first car for your children, Benefers can give you the vehicle that's perfectly suited to your needs...”

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Hamlin Way, Hardwick Narrows, King’s Lynn Norfolk PE30 4NG Tel: 01553 827596 / 07769 898058 Web: www.benefers.co.uk E-mail: sales@benefers.co.uk

KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

ENJOY MAIN DEALER QUALITY WITHOUT MAIN DEALER PRICES!

Take a friendly new look at your car servicing...

Why K Brown Auto Repairs always goes the extra mile for you! t doesn’t matter what you drive or what you need, there can be something rather intimidating about having your car serviced. You’re not a technician or mechanic, you’re not entirely sure of the costs involved or how they’re calculated, and you may well feel alarmingly out of your depth.

If you’re feeling like that, one thing’s for certain – you haven’t treated your car to K Brown Auto Repairs in King’s Lynn and Hunstanton.

“We’ve always tried to do things differently,” says Tamsin Brown, who founded K Brown Auto Repairs with her husband Keith over 20 years ago.

“Lots of smaller garages can come across as very male-orientated and not very welcoming. One of the things that makes us unique is that we make people as welcome and as comfortable as possible – from the minute they walk in the door!”

The winning combination of Tamsin’s family-friendly customer service and

I

KLmagazine November 2016

Keith’s technical expertise (the couple have been together since they were 14) means that whatever you and your car needs, K Brown Auto Repairs offers a comprehensive range of services from general servicing and repairs to MOTs and air conditioning, from head gaskets and 4-wheel alignment to cambelts, clutches, and gearbox rebuilds.

And the expertise of seven mechanics in Hunstanton and four in King’s Lynn includes a dedicated team of diagnostic technicians fully trained in fault finding, emissions and DPF systems.

“It doesn’t matter if you need a single bulb or a major engine overhaul,” says Tamsin. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a brand new customer or you’ve been coming to us for years – you’ll be treated to the same level of service as everybody else. It’s very important to us that everyone is made to feel they’re a valued customer and that we’ve got their best interests at heart.”

That commitment to customers isn’t

just confined to the bright and relaxing reception areas, however.

“I think it’s fair to say that I was born with a spanner in my hand,” says Keith – who actually sold his own car to help launch K Brown Auto Repairs in the mid1990s. “My father got me interested in cars and I was taking engines apart when I was a child! I’ve always thought it’s essential that you need to keep the customer informed at every step and at every stage. You don’t want surprises, you don’t want to worry, and you want to be able to see where every single penny has gone.”

Realistic, justifiable pricing, a friendly and welcoming environment, and a determination to give you and your car the very best – you’re always very welcome to K Brown Auto Repairs!

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Local Life

ABOVE: The South Gate of King’s Lynn in 1935. The gate has been a major entry point to the town since the 15th century and is the starting point of Paul Richards’ new book of four walks highlighting the changing face of the town over the centuries.

Discovering the history of King’s Lynn on foot...

It’s one of England’s most historic towns, and there’s no better way to appreciate the many wonders of King’s Lynn than with an expert guide. KL magazine reviews Paul Richards’ new book

F

or many years, Paul Richards (right) has been guiding people around his beloved home town of King’s Lynn, pointing out buildings of historical importance and stories of local characters in his own inimitable style. His town walks are as enjoyable as they are rewarding, and for those unlucky enough (or unable) to have never experienced one, Paul’s latest book will be especially welcome.

The recently-published King’s Lynn History Tour is based on Paul’s earlier work King’s Lynn Through Time (2014) but it’s been extensively updated and features four new walks for people to

KLmagazine November 2016

enjoy – although dedicated lovers of the town (and particularly keen walkers) could complete the long and circular journey in around four hours.

The first begins appropriately enough at the town’s most historic entry point (the South Gate) and finishes at the South Quay on the eastern bank of the Great Ouse, taking in the town’s oldest church, the often-overlooked monument to the town’s Whitefriars, and England’s last surviving Hanseatic trading post.

The second walk travels over the river to view King’s Lynn from the west (a perspective still unfamiliar to many) and finishes at the Tuesday Market Place, by

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Local Life

ABOVE: Although you can fit 1,000 years of history in a single photograph, Paul Richards’ new book King’s Lynn History Tour confirms that the best way to appreciate the town’s changing character is at close quarters – and on foot

way of the town’s grandest merchant mansion, the nationally-famous Custom House and the many Georgian splendours of King Street.

The third walk travels through the old North End fishing quarter to reach the Victorian railway station, taking in the extraordinary chapel of St. Nicholas and the Bentinck Dock. It includes a fascinating insight into how the town’s shopping area has been transformed over the last century.

Finally, the fourth walk follows the path through the town’s impressive park to London Road, bringing you back to the beginning by way of the ‘poor man’s church’ of St. John, the unique Red Mount, and the Millfleet – the polluted waters of which once divided the parishes of St. Margarets and South Lynn until it was covered over following a town referendum in 1896.

“As a town guide for some 30 years I’ve led general and specialist tours of King’s Lynn focusing on the town’s medieval, Georgian and Victorian periods – as well as its Historic Pubs!” says Paul. “I’m used to taking people on historic walks around my home town – but these generally tend to be in Lynn’s surviving medieval areas. The new walks in this book are more off the beaten track, but they’re no less interesting for that.”

Paul’s in no doubt that the history of King’s Lynn is best appreciated at close

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quarters.

“A walking tour is by far the best way to discover the history and character of this wonderful and ancient Wash port,” he says. “It’s an enjoyable way of seeing just how much changed through time, particularly over the last 100 years or so.”

He admits that while his unparallelled knowledge of the town helped him in the production of the book, there were still a few surprises.

“It was fascinating to be reminded of just how interesting King’s Lynn is outside the normal route,” he says.

“Even after all these years I still had to do a little extra research on buildings and streets not usually seen as ‘historic’ or very interesting.”

Paul hopes King’s Lynn History Tour will encourage visitors to enjoy the best that King’s Lynn has to offer – as well as enable people to re-discover the town they thought they knew so well.

“Although four tours are suggested, I’d really like people to try them all,” he says. “None of the walks are particularly strenuous and the town is blessed with some marvellous pubs, cafes and restaurants for people in need of a refreshment break!”

It will come as no surprise to learn that as soon as King’s Lynn History Tour reached the bookshelves Paul was back at work documenting the place of King’s Lynn in our national – and international – history.

“I’ve just had an essay on England and the Hanseatic League published in Hamburg,” he says, “but I’m now back at work on my magnus opus on King’s Lynn and the League. It’s been a real labour of love but it’s almost done now.

It’s taken me far too long, but I hope it will help people understand the pivotal role King’s Lynn played in the trade and politics of medieval Europe.”

King’s Lynn History Tour (Amberley Publishing, £6.99) is available in all local bookshops and signed copies are available at the town’s Trues Yard Fisherfolk Museum in North Street, King’s Lynn.

KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

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KLmagazine November 2016

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PICTURES: GRAHAM LAMB

Local Arts

ABOVE: Graham Lamb at work on his Pointillist treatment of Byfords in Holt (detail opposite). Each of his paintings contain around 155,000 individually-applied dots and can take as much as a year to produce.

Making a point with the art of Graham Lamb When Pointillism first arrived on the art scene, it was dismissed as a serious art form. KL magazine talks to one local artist who’s currently using the intricate technique to quite stunning effect...

I

n the summer of 1884, the French artist Georges-Pierre Seurat began work on a painting called A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte – a seemingly everyday view of various people enjoying a variety of social activities by the side of a lake just outside Paris.

However, looks can be deceptive.

Rather than relying on colours physically mixed on the canvas for its effect, the large painting (it’s just over 10ft wide and took Seurat two years to complete) comprised hundreds of thousands of tiny juxtaposed dots –

KLmagazine November 2016

allowing the viewer’s eye to ‘see’ the image by blending the colours optically.

Although contemporary art critics weren’t particularly impressed with the technique (which Seurat called ‘Divisionism’) the mocking name they gave it – Pointillism – is now regarded as a serious branch of the impressionist art movement, and one that’s still practised and explored by artists today.

One such practitioner of the technique is local artist Graham Lamb, who moved to Norfolk almost 40 years ago from his home in Essex and now produces painstaking works of art

featuring local landmarks and landscapes in an intricate galaxy of tiny dots.

KL MAGAZINE: Have you always been interested in art?

Graham Lamb: Yes, always. At school art was always a favourite subject and something I looked forward to every week. Although I had a great interest in English and sport (I represented Essex in cross-country running) art was always my first love and I’d aspired to become a signwriter from an early age.

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PICTURE: GRAHAM LAMB

Local Arts

KL MAGAZINE: How did you turn from signwriting to Pointillism?

Graham Lamb: When I left school I undertook an apprenticeship at a signwriting firm in Stratford, but my burgeoning artistic career came to a sudden end when the company decided to close.

My interest in Pointillism stems from an art class I attended 15 years ago where a fellow student painted in this format. My interest was then further enhanced when I saw the paintings of Georges-Pierre Seurat. His work was so amazing I felt Pointillism was a form of painting I wanted to explore for myself.

KL MAGAZINE: What appeals to you about the technique?

Graham Lamb: I love the way that Pointillism (especially in monochrome) concentrates the mind in achieving detail in a very precise way without any other distractions. The apparent simplicity of the technique hides the fact that it’s actually incredibly hard work.

KL MAGAZINE: So Pointillism isn’t quite as easy as it would appear at first sight?

Graham Lamb: You could never describe it as easy! The concentration required to produce the level of detail I want to achieve is immense, and as a result I can only work for short periods of time. At best, an hour is the maximum I can work before I have to put the pen down for a rest.

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KL MAGAZINE: How do you begin on a new work?

Graham Lamb: As with most artists, my paintings start when I see a location or image which appeals to me. It can be a building or a landscape or an iconic location such as Byfords in Holt – where the flint front with cascading ivy offers a wonderful combination of various textures and shapes.

I start by sketching out the basic outline from left to right, after which I then concentrate on one small section at a time before moving across the paper as I work.

KL MAGAZINE: It must be an incredibly time-consuming and detailed process...

Graham Lamb: It is. Each painting takes me around five to ten months to produce, but this will largely depend on my health. The last painting took me some 16 months to complete and is one of the most intricate paintings I’ve produced so far. I’ve never actually thought of counting the individual dots, but each painting probably contains around 155,000.

KL MAGAZINE: Where do you think your creativity comes from?

Graham Lamb: My mother was a keen oil painter and loved painting in ‘Constable Country’ in Suffolk, particularly around Flatford Mill. Her love of painting encouraged both my sister and I to paint – my sister now specialises in painting birds in watercolour.

KL MAGAZINE: Who (apart from Georges Seurat!) are your main artistic influences?

Graham Lamb: I love the work of both Turner and Constable – two giants of the art world. Turner is a hugely important figure in the development of landscape painting, while Constable’s work is among the most popular and valuable in British art today. They’re both hugely influential and I think every modern artist owes them some debt of gratitude.

KL MAGAZINE: Whose art do you allow on your walls at home?

Graham Lamb: I currently have some marvellous paintings by two very talented local artists. Ian Mcmanus is a watercolourist who paints bustling street scenes, while Sally Temple paints the North Norfolk coast quite beautifully in both oil and watercolour.

KL MAGAZINE: What are you currently working on?

Graham Lamb: I have just started a painting of Blickling Hall – but as you know, it won’t be finished for a while!

KL MAGAZINE: Where can we see more of your work?

Graham Lamb: My work can always be seen at Picturecraft Gallery in Holt – they hold several of my paintings and prints. You can visit their website at www.picturecraftgallery.com for more information and opening times.

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Local Arts

ABOVE: An atmospheric winter landscape taken by photographer Jo Halpin Jones during a walk near Saxlingham

A look inside the world of Jo Halpin Jones...

Turning a lifelong hobby into a professional career is a step few people are fortunate (or brave) enough to take, but it’s been another adventure for Jo Halpin Jones, as Clare Bee discovers

J

o Halpin Jones may have travelled all over the globe in order to capture some of her amazing photographs, but West Norfolk will always be her home. Although she’s now lived here for over 30 years, until then she led a largely nomadic life, living and working in many parts of the world.

She was actually born in Washington DC at the end of the Second World War, but within nine weeks the family moved to England and Jo found herself growing up in Sussex.

It wasn’t an easy life by any means,

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however. She was diagnosed with cancer of the thigh bone at a young age and although she received a very early form of radiotherapy, she eventually had to have her leg amputated at the age of 12, surviving against all the odds.

“People used to tell me I was brave,” she says, “but that wasn’t it at all. I had no other option than to get on with life, which is a lot easier when you’re young.

It’s easier to adapt, and to me it really wasn’t that big a deal.”

Jo has always lead a normal life and has never let her disability stop her or

make her feel she had to prove anything.

After living in Cheshire for a while, she moved to London, where she completed a secretarial course and worked in publishing for a spell before emigrating to Canada at the age of 22.

She lived in Montreal for seven years, working as a secretary before applying to the city’s McGill University to study anthropology – satisfying a lifelong interest in people and the study of man.

She subsequently worked at the University Press of McGill University, and there learned all about publishing,

KLmagazine November 2016

KLmagazine November 2016

PICTURES: JO HALPIN JONES/ PICTURE OF JO: IAN WARD

editing and marketing.

By this time, however, she was missing many things about England – the countryside, the pubs, the people, even the Sunday newspapers – and consequently returned to London to work in the publications department of Amnesty International, compiling reports and designing books and magazines.

By then, her parents and two brothers had moved to Norfolk, and (realising just how much she missed the countryside) Jo decided to ‘up sticks’ once again and moved to Norwich.

Here she secured work at Jarrolds Colour Publications, writing guidebooks and captions to accompany the photographs. She became head of the editorial department and may well have stayed in Norwich had she not met her future husband, Dick.

He’d been offered a job at King’s Lynn museum as a teacher in the natural history department – and so Jo was on the move again, this time to West Norfolk where she now intended to stay!

Here, Jo went on to have her son, and then trained as a counsellor, working for Norfolk Social Services as a social worker. But throughout all her different jobs in different parts of the world, she had always maintained an interest in photography.

Like many of her generation, Jo had owned a Brownie 127 camera as a child and had always taken photos of her family and friends. Now she decided it was time to turn her hobby into a professional career, and in 2000 embarked on a two-year course in photography at the College of West Anglia.

It was the dawn of the digital age, and Jo decided to embrace the new medium.

“I mastered the steep learning curve of learning Photoshop,” she says, “and although there are always new versions coming out, I still stick with my original Photoshop package.”

Jo now began to see the world differently; she learned about composition, light and technique.

“But mostly,” she says, “I discovered how much I loved colour. Black and white is fine in the right context, but I love colour – in textures, in patterns and in the juxtapositioning of objects.”

She began by photographing landscapes, doing wedding and event photography, and making greetings cards. She soon started to hold exhibitions, as she needed to get her name known. Her husband was a keen birdwatcher, and she would accompany him on birdwatching trips all over the world.

ABOVE: ”Black and white is fine in the right context,” says Jo Halpin Jones (centre, left), “but I love colour – in textures, in patterns and in the juxtapositioning of objects.” It’s a love that can be clearly seen in these images of Sandringham (top), a spectacular Gyr falcon taken in Iceland (centre, right), and a particularly stormy day near Houghton (below).

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Local Arts

ABOVE: Jo Halpin Jones has a fine eye for detail, whether it’s a rainy day in Hunstanton, a sun-soaked doorway in Essaouira, Morocco (right, top) or a market stall in Peterborough (right, centre). Below is an example of Jo’s recent work in the field of photo-restoration.

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sections, and enables her to perform some visual magic.

“I’ve been asked to remove unwanted people from photographs and also to insert those who weren’t present when the photo was taken,” she explains. “It can be very emotional for people.

Someone may have died and the partner has an early photo that is very worn. I can bring that person back to life by restoring and enlarging the photograph.”

After many years of globetrotting, Jo is content now to stay closer to home.

Her life is full and interesting and there is always something to capture her imagination. Her photographs reflect her journeys and the amazing people she has met, but sometimes you don’t have to go far to find life still happens right on your doorstep.

PICTURES: JO HALPIN JONES

She is still, however, an equally keen people watcher.

“I love doing portraits,” she says.

“There’s something very special about trying to capture the essence of a person, particularly someone who hates having their picture taken. I like showing them their expressions shining through.”

With her husband, Jo has travelled throughout Australia and New Zealand, to Nepal and Uzbekistan, South Africa and the USA. Where possible, they prefer to go in their trusty campervan and have taken it to Morocco and Iceland. Her photos reflect the vast diversity of planet earth and those who inhabit it.

Nowadays, the couple don’t travel quite so much, but (as you’ve probably gathered by now) Jo’s never been one to sit about. As well as volunteering for the Citizens Advice Bureau, she loves to garden in their third of an acre and to read. She now has grandchildren to enjoy, and is also heavily involved in making posters and helping to publicise events in her village of Dersingham, such as the Open Gardens and the popular Dersingham Art Trail (the next one of which takes place over the weekend of November 26th–27th).

Dersingham has a cluster of 10 or 11 artists located in and around the village, and the purpose of the trail is to encourage visitors to tour the local studios, browsing the art and craft on display and chatting to the artists as they work.

Jo has also begun to focus on photo restoration, repairing old, faded and damaged photos digitally. Modern technology allows her to restore damaged areas by ‘cloning’ undamaged

For more information on Jo and to see more examples of her work, please visit www.johalpinjones.com

KLmagazine November 2016

Audi Vorsprung durch Technik

The new Audi Q2 Can’t be labelled.

Can be ordered. #untaggable Coupé? Hatchback? SUV? Our newest Q model is not so easily defined. But it can easily be ordered.

Order yours at Kings Lynn Audi.

Kings Lynn Audi PE30 2ND 01553 779500 www.kingslynn-audi.co.uk Official fuel consumption figures for the Audi Q2 range in mpg (l/100km) from: Urban 42.2 (6.7) – 57.6 (4.9), Extra Urban 56.5 (5.0) – 68.9 (4.1), Combined 49.6 (5.7) – 64.2 (4.4). CO2 emissions: 130 – 114g/km.

Fuel consumption and CO2 figures are obtained under standardised EU test conditions (Directive 93/116/EEC).This allows a direct comparison between different manufacturer models but may not represent the actual fuel consumption achieved in ‘real world’ driving conditions. Optional wheels may affect emissions and fuel consumption figures. Fuel consumption and CO2 figures correct at time of print [September 2016]. Image for illustration purposes only. More information is available on the Audi website at www.audi.co.uk and at www.dft.gov.uk/vca

KLmagazine November 2016

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The Last Word

WildWestNorfolk Michael Middleton’s

A

couple of weeks ago I was on a leisurely walk through Stiffkey when my friend (who lives at nearby Wells) suggested a visit to the churchyard, where there was something he thought I might be interested in.

At first glance, I must admit the grave of Harold Francis Davidson (1875-1937) didn’t grab my attention. His epitaph, however, was rather intriguing: “he was loved by the villagers, who recognised his humanity and forgave him his transgressions.”

The rest of the afternoon was largely devoted to my friend telling me the amazing story of Harold Davidson – the local church rector who was defrocked in 1932 after a trial that gripped the whole nation with a potent mix of sex, skulduggery and abuse of authority, and who came to an untimely end at the hands (or paws) of a lion called Freddie.

Davidson arrived on the north Norfolk coast in 1906 (three years after becoming ordained) and soon gained popularity with local villagers, visiting his poorer parishioners and even helping them out with payment of their rent and bills.

When he returned to Stiffkey after serving in the First World War, Davidson found his wife pregnant by another man (allegedly) and was soon spending increasing amounts of time in London – although he always returned to Norfolk in time for the Sunday service. He made no secret about his time in the capital, saying he was engaged in a mission to save “fallen women” (i.e. prostitutes) from a life of deprivation and abuse.

While some people accused him of dabbling in vice and immorality, many locals regarded his work in London as 114

an extension of the Christian spirit he’d shown them back in Norfolk.

The growing scandal eventually reached the national press, and headlines such as the ‘Randy Rector of Stiffkey’ led the Bishop of Norwich to enlist the Arrows Detective Agency to see what dirt they could rake up on Davidson and his activities.

They didn’t have much luck. Only one of the women interviewed accused Davidson of any sexual misconduct, and it took a fair amount of alcohol to get her to say that. She changed her story when she’d sobered up, but by then it was a bit too late. Davidson was charged with ‘immoral conduct’ and a date was set for a church trial, the incriminating ‘highlight’ of which was a forged letter and a staged photograph.

Pronounced guilty and accused of lying by the judge (who just happened to have been at university with the Bishop of Norwich and was godfather to his daughter) Davidson was stripped of his holy orders and told he was to be “removed, deposed and degraded.”

Unemployed and penniless, Davidson then took to the stage in an effort to clear his name. He was soon to be found at Blackpool, proclaiming his innocence in a number of bizzare ways – freezing in a refrigerated chamber or being roasted in a glassfronted oven while a mechanical devil prodded him with a pitchfork.

By 1937 the novelty was wearing off, however, and Davidson joined an animalthemed show in Skegness with an act that consisted of a 10-minute speech

delivered outside a cage containing two lions, after which Davidson would enter the cage and spend a few minutes with the animals in a live modern-day version of the biblical story of Daniel.

On 28th July 1937, Davidson gave his usual speech before entering the cage in which the two lions – Freddie and Toto – were sitting quietly. For some reason (some accounts say Davidson stepped on the lion’s tail) Freddie became enraged and seized Davidson by the neck, running around the cage with him.

Although rescued, Davidson died of his injuries two days later, his death possibly hastened by an insulin injection administered by a doctor who believed that Davidson was a diabetic.

I thought it was a sad end to a man I have a feeling may have simply been a victim of his times. The evidence (or lack of it, rather) suggests Davidson was more Good Samaritan than Randy Rector, and although we’ll probably never know the whole truth about his London-based adventures it’s a fascinating story that’s by no means ‘normal for Norfolk.’

KLmagazine November 2016

1975-2016

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